Life at thirty-something
by ANNAFLORINDA
Summary: Follow the lives of: Lois and Clark Lane-Kent are new parents, with their twins; Lex and Tess Luthor have a more challenging relationship; Chloe Sullivan, Lois's cousin, is married to Jimmy, with a baby, but not all is at it seems and Oliver Queen is Clark's old friend and has a complex history. How will they all fair? AU. Established Clois, Olicity, Chimmy...
1. Prologue

**This is a new story, which starts off as Lois/Clark and will be for all of the story. Please, read and review:)**

Prologue: Best friend, home, true love.

The bells in the Church rang and Clark felt his heat jump as he stood at the alter. Here he was, finally, about to marry the woman whom he loved, whom he always had and always would love: Lois Lane. He looked to his side to see his parents sitting in the seats, along with his brother and Lois's family. Directly by his side was his best friend and best man, Oliver Queen. Clark smiled at his friend, showing his thanks for being there. His eyes then fell upon his ex-girlfriend, Lana Lang, who was sitting at the back of the church. They had broken up years ago, but Clark suspected that she was still in love with him. Their eyes met and Lana nodded to him slightly, smiling, and Clark nodded back, before turning his head to face the door so that he could see Lois as soon as she entered in her wedding dress.

As the Church began to become quieter, the music began to play and the doors opened. Lois walked into the room, in her dress and vail, with her father, Sam Lane, by her side. Overwhelmed by all of the people, Lois froze and was afraid that she would not be able to move. Her breathing quietened; she wanted to marry Clark more than anything, but that did not prevent her from being scared. Her eyes began to search the room for his eyes, but she suddenly felt somebody's; hand take hold of hers and it was not her father. Looking up, she saw Clark and in his eyes she was nothing but love. She smiled and squeezed his hand as the two of them began to walk down the isle. "Thanks, Smallville, I couldn't have done this without you." Lois whispered.

Clark leaned his face closer to hers and told her, "All I want to do is marry you, Lois. If waking you down the isle is what makes that happen, I'll willingly do it with all of my heart." His words were so soft so that nobody but Lois could hear; Lois did hear mouthed 'I love you' and he did the same. Upon finally reaching the alter, they held hands, took their vows, exchanged vows and shared their first kiss as husband and wife. As their lips parted, Lois murmured, "I want to remember this moment forever. Thank you for saving me."

"No-thank you." Clark smiled, as they kissed again and Lois wrapped her arms around his neck. Their eyes met and they could see the love the other had for them in their eyes. "I promise that the rest of my will be devoted to you and any children we may have." Clark whispered to his wife.

Winding her hands through his, Lois replied, with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes, "You're my best friend, my home and my one true love. I am yours and will be forever." They finally looked at the other people around them, after forgetting about everybody else in the room and they walked back down the isle, greeting their family and friends on the way.

This was the beginning of their news lives together.


	2. Chapter 1: 5 years later

_**I do not own Smallville. This story is completely AU, so Lex and Tess are not brother and sister!:) Please, read and review:). Enjoy:)**_

 _ **5 years later…**_

 _ **Lois, Clark and Oliver are 30 and they met at Yale University. Lois and Clark began dating when they were 20, after being best friends for 2 years. They are now married and have babies, Jane and Ben Lane-Kent. Chloe is 28 and she moved to live with Lois when she was 11 for reasons which will soon become clean and Chloe attended Metropolis University "Met U". A year ago, she married Jimmy Olsen and had a baby, Nicolas Sullivan. Lex met Clark when he moved to Smallville at the age of 18. He and Tess are 34 and they have 2 sons, Alexander and James Luthor, 10 and 4-Lex and Tess both attended Kansas State University. Tess is Clark's adopted sister and she and Lex are not half-brother and sister, so there is no incest. Felicity is a childhood friend of Oliver's and they began dating after Chloe and Jimmy married.**_

Chapter 1: 5 years later…

Clark Lane-Kent descended the stairs in his home after dressing for work. He now worked for Oliver, at Queen Industries and Lois had been a writer until she had gone on maternity leave to have the twins, Jane and Benjamin Lane-Kent, which she had only done a month before their birth. He walked into the kitchen and saw that Lois was feeding Jane and Benjamin their breakfast whilst they were in their chairs, as it was the only way to keep them still. Clark walked over to his children and kissed them on the head. "What time did you get up?" he asked his wife.

"About 5. You slept like a baby." Lois remarked, smiling, with a sparkle in her eyes which Clark had not seen since their twins had been born. She leaned forward and they kissed, before Clark began rummaging around for his own breakfast. "Is there any food?"

Rolling her eyes, Lois replied, "Yeah, there's some in the fridge. I'll go shopping today." Clark sighed and murmured, "I'm sorry for snapping." He turned to his wife and squeezed her free hand. "I really am sorry, Lois."

Lois smiled. "Smallville, it's fine. I'll go shopping today, I promise." She paused, then asked, "Are you-are you regretting having Jane and Benjamin?"

Clark stared at her in shock. "Lois, how can you ask that? I love them more than anything, besides you. I'm so glad that we decided to have children, because it's made me realise just how precious life is. I would give my life for them without a second thought and I'd do the same for you. You know that." He smiled and was relieved to see Lois smile back and she replied, "Yeah, I do, Smallville. I know and I understand." Clark leaned closer to her and they kissed passionately, before he whispered, "I love you." He then kissed Jane and Benjamin goodbye and left the house to go to work.

"Clark!" He turned and Lois ran over to him and hugged him, before going back into the house to take care of their babies. Clark smiled to himself and made his way to work. Once there, he walked into his friend, Lex Luthor, who immediately said, "I need to talk to you." The two friends walked into Clark's office. Lex was married Clark's adoptive sister, Tess, and they had been married since their early 20s, so over ten years and they had two sons together Alexander Luthor, who was 10 and James Luthor who was 4. "What's up, Lex?" Clark asked, as he opened up his laptop.

Realisation suddenly dawned on Lex's face and he almost ran to the door. "Doesn't matter." He walked out of the room quicker than Clark had ever seen him move. Clark shook his head and began work, hoping that there was nothing wrong with Tess, Alexander or James, although he was quite sure that Lex would have told him if there were.

Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Chloe Sullivan was working whilst feeding her 1-year-old son, Nicolas Sullivan. Her husband, Jimmy Olsen, walked into the room and kissed the baby on the head before kissing Chloe. "You're very good at multi-tasking, Chlo." He remarked, with a smile on his face. "One of the many reasons I married you." They both laughed and kissed again. Their relationship had started over a year ago and they had married when Chloe had discovered that she was pregnant; she and Jimmy had not planned to have a baby so soon, but they loved him more than anything. Chloe was Lois's cousin and her best friend was Oliver Queen. She had worked for Queen Industries before she and Jimmy had married and she now worked for them again, in a leading ICT role.

Jimmy collected food for his breakfast and sat down, "I have an idea. How about we give little Nicolas to his godparents for the night? I'm sure that they wouldn't mind." Nicolas's godparents were Oliver and his girlfriend, Felicity Lance; they had been together since Chloe and Jimmy had married and Chloe was glad that Oliver had found someone to love. "Yeah, I'll go and see Felicity later, she isn't working today." She paused, then asked, "You know that I love you, right?"

"Of course, you wouldn't have married me if you didn't." Jimmy kissed her on the check and Chloe received it with pleasure before walking out of the kitchen to get ready for work. As soon as he was gone, the smile faded from Chloe's face and she inhaled a deep breathe. She did love Jimmy, she always had, but a part of her heart wondered if he was her soul mate, her true love and she knew that sometimes he wondered the same thing; they were not Lois and Clark, they were not destined to be together. So with whom was she destined to be?

Her thoughts were interrupted when the doorbell rang. She picked up Nicolas and carried him to the door and saw that it was Felicity. "Hey, Fel. How are you?" She handed Nicolas to her friend, who made a baby noise, before replying, "I'm fine, thanks-apart from the fact that work is stressful and Oliver's-well, Oliver." She bit her lip and whispered, "I've known him since we were kids, I love him but I'm not sure if he feels the same way about me."

Chloe frowned. "What makes you think that?"

Felicity hesitated, then replied, "I think that he was in love with someone else before he was with me and I think that he can't quite get over her. I love him and I want to marry him, but I don't think that he feels the same way about me. Do you want me to watch Nicolas for you and Jimmy tonight?"

"Yes, please. Jimmy and I would be very grateful. I think that we need some time alone." The two friends talked for a while, then Felicity left to return to her flat and Chloe rang Lois and told her what Felicity had told her and they both wondered who the woman was whom Oliver had loved before Felicity.

As lunchtime came, Clark found Lex in a café. "Lex, what were you going to tell me earlier?" Lex tried to change the subject, but Clark would not give up, so Lex sighed and asked, "Clark, I know that you love Lois, but have you ever… had an affair?"

Clark stared at his friend, before shaking his head and replying slowly, "No. Have you?" When he received no answer, he knew what the answer was. "How many times? With whom?"

Lex looked down at the table as he replied, "Loads of women over the years. There was only one I was in love with, your ex-girlfriend, Lana Lang. I feel really bad about it, I swear I do. I love Tess and I love our sons, but we married too young and we've changed into different people. Tess doesn't know, we used to tell each other everything and now….it's all ruined. Promise me you won't tell anyone." He looked into Clark's eyes. Reluctantly, Clark nodded. "Yeah, I won't tell anyone." Lex knew that his friend would tell Lois, as they told each other everything, as they always had and always would, because they had a pure relationship and they were destined to be together.

After leaving Lex in the café, Clark called Lois to ask her how she and Jane and Benjamin were and she told him what Chloe had told her about Oliver. As she finished, there was a knock on the door of Clark's office, so he told Lois that he would see her soon and invited the person into his office. It was Oliver. "Why are you here so late, doesn't Lois need your help?"

Clark smiled. "I'll go soon. Hopefully, she and I will get some quality time together. I love her more than I can express, you know. The day we married was one of the best days of my life along with the birth of Jane and Benjamin." He paused, then asked, "How are things between you and Felicity?"

Oliver put his hands and his pockets. "We're fine. I mean…we haven't gone to the next level, but there isn't any rush, right?" He bit his lip, then fixed Clark with his piercing stare. "Why are you asking me?"

There was a silence, then his friend answered, "Well, she spoke to Chloe and…she seems to think that you're in love with someone else as well as her. Is that true?"

"Of course it isn't true: I love Felicity!"

"That isn't what I asked." Clark sighed, then asked in a gentle voice, "This other woman you were in love with, what happened between the two of you?" Their eyes met and Clark knew that Oliver was trying to work out if he should tell his best friend the truth or not and the doubt in his eyes were evident. Ever since being orphaned as a young child, Oliver had had problems with trusting people and Clark had learnt that rather quickly when they had been at Yale together. Oliver bit his lip and sighed, "She was my best friend, she still is. I had feelings for her and... I didn't tell her how I felt and she married someone else and they had a baby together."

Clark walked over to his friend and murmured, "I think I know who this person is. You do know that Chloe is never going to leave Jimmy; they love each other and they have a baby together."

"Yeah, I know. I know that."

"Then why are you holding back when it comes to your relationship with Felicity?" Clark asked in a low voice as he met his friend's eyes. "I know that, if Lois had married someone else, I would have been devastated, but in the end, I would have had to accept her wishes and moved on and that's what you need to do. Felicity is a great woman, so stop dwelling on something that never happened and move on." Oliver fixed him with a hard stare, before walking out of the office and slamming the door behind him. He knew that Clark was right, but he also knew that he did not love Felicity the way he loved Chloe and it broke his heart.

That evening, after Felicity collected Nicolas, Chloe and Jimmy sat together on the sofa and watched a film, with their arms around each other. As the film came to an end, Jimmy smiled at his wife. "You know, I know that we didn't plan to have Nicolas, but I love the way our lives are now. It's perfect, isn't it? In a couple of years, I think that we should have some more children, if that's ok with you." They hugged and kissed, but the question which Jimmy had always wanted to ask Chloe was still on his mind, but he kissed his wife and ignored the question which he had ever since they had married. He knew that she loved him and he knew that he loved her, but he also knew that their marriage had been very rushed and he wondered if that haste had been so that she did not change her mind after the baby was born.

Just as Nicolas fell asleep in his cot, there was a knock on the door of Felicity's apartment, so she made sure that Nicolas was asleep and answered it. It was Oliver. "Are you ok, why are you here so late?" she asked, wondering why he was there as he let him into the flat.

"I just came to talk to you, I feel as if I haven't seen you for ages." The two of them stepped inside and Oliver followed his girlfriend into the living room and Felicity stood there, waiting to hear what he had to say. Oliver sighed. "Felicity, you've always been there for me, you were there for me after my parents died all of those years ago and I-I think that I've taken you for granted and I want to apologise for that."

Felicity smiled, her heart racing with every word he said. "Oliver, I know all of that and I know that I love you. Do you love me, I mean the way to love this mystery woman? I know that you're in love with someone else." She said the last part in a whisper, because it pained her to say it. Their eyes met and she saw both love and confusion in her boyfriend's eyes. He walked closer to her and replied, "Ok, I am in love with someone else, but she's married, so that's never going to come to anything and I do love you, Felicity. I really do. You're the best part of my life and you have been for many years. How do you feel about me?"

"Oliver, I love you with all of my heart and I want to spend the rest of my life with you!" Felicity raised her voice, glaring at him, with tears falling down her face, "But I can't be with someone who wishes that I was someone else and I fear that's what would happen if our relationship continues!" She inhaled a deep breath and rubbed her eyes. Oliver was watching her intensely, his heart aching because he was causing her so much pain. "Oliver, do you honestly see a future with me? Do you see yourself marrying me and having kids with me, because that's what I want out of life?"

There was silence, as Oliver put his hand on a side of her face and leant his face closer to hers. Closing her eyes and giving in, Felicity kissed him passionately and he kissed her back with the same force. They whispered that they loved the other as their kiss ended and they held each other in a tight hug, not wanting to let the other go.

Clark opened the front door and tiptoed into the house, because he guessed that the babies were asleep and he did not want to wake them. Lois walked over to him, they kissed and she led him into the kitchen. As they began their dinner, Lois asked, "How was your day, Smallville?"

"It was good, thanks. How was your day?"

Lois chuckled and replied, "I spend all of my day either looking after the twins or cleaning the house. I love them so much… Tess was here earlier. Have you seen Lex today?" Her husband tensed and his face tightened and his wife knew that he knew something which she did not about Lex and Tess's relationship. Moving closer to Clark, she mused, "Let me take a stab in the dark- Lex has had an affair, hasn't he?" Clark looked at her and the look in his eyes was conformation of Lois's fears and she asked how many times it had happened. Clark told her all of what Lex had told him, including the part about Lana Lang.

"I also found out that Oliver is in love with Chloe."

"Chloe, as in my cousin?" Lois asked, shocked. "Well, that makes sense, but why did he not tell her how he felt before she and Jimmy got together?"

Clark shrugged. "I think that he may have told her had she not got pregnant with Jimmy's baby. She loves Jimmy and he loves her." He looked into Lois's eyes and saw doubt, once again showing how well they knew each other. Smiling, he asked, "Do you know something, Lois?"

Lois sat down next to Clark, taking hold of his hands. "All I know is that Chloe thinks that her relationship with Jimmy moved too quickly. I know that she loves him, but sometimes I think she doubts if he's the one for her." She paused, then murmured, "When you and I got together, Smallville, there was no such doubt in my mind. I knew that you were the one, without a doubt."

"I felt the same way and I think the fact that we were friends first helped, because it meant that we already knew each other before he began dating." They both smiled and their faces moved closer together, but Jane began crying, so Lois stood up and ran to her crying, baby daughter. Clark exhaled a deep breath; he loved his children, but he had never shared Lois with anyone before and it was hard to accept that she was not just his anymore.

The next morning, Chloe brought Nicolas to Lois and Clark's house so that she and Lois could spend some time together; she loved Jane and Benjamin as if they were her niece and nephew, which was effectively what they were as she and Lois were like sisters. "After Nicolas was born, did you and Jimmy have problems?" Lois asked, as she began to put down the twins for their nap. Chloe was silent, before answering, "Jimmy and I hadn't been together for a long when Nicolas was born-only about 9 months. We love each other, we tell each other and we know that we do."

"If you were sure of that, you wouldn't have to tell me." Lois remarked, looking at her cousin directly in the eye. "Your relationship with Jimmy moved too quickly. If you hadn't been pregnant, would you have married him so quickly? You were only together for a few weaks when you married, Chlo."

"I don't want to talk about Jimmy! You were the one who asked me the question!" Chloe snapped, but immediately felt guilty. "Lo, trust me, I know true love when I see it. I see the way that you and Clark look at each other and, whatever problems you're facing, you will work it out. The two of you are destined to be together. I've always thought that, ever since you first met."

Lois smiled, then gazed down at her baby twins who were sleeping. "I'm so lucky, I have a wonderful life, a wonderful, loving husband and two beautiful babies. What more could I ask for?" Chloe looked down at her son who was sleeping as well. She loved him, as did Jimmy, but she feared that the problems which plagued her and Jimmy's marriage would affect him. She and Jimmy loved each other, but was that enough?

At work, Clark was interrupted by a knock on the door and he saw that it was Lex, who was looking very nervous. He walked over to Clark and began, "What I told you about-you know-you won't tell Tess, will you? I know she's your adoptive sister, but I haven't had an affair in nearly a year, I swear. I really am trying, Clark, and I know that it goes against your code of ethics, but I do love her and I'm trying."

"Lex, the only reason I haven't told her is because I think that it would cause her far too much pain if it came from me-if anyone is going to tell her, it has to be you."

"Tell who what?" Oliver was standing in the doorway. He and Lex glared at each other, before Lex walked past him and out of the office. Closing the door, Oliver remarked, "I really don't know why you're friends with that guy, Clark. What do you see in him that I don't?"

Sighing, Clark asked, "Why do the two of you hate each other so much? Seriously! I get so fed up with it!" He knew that his voice had risen, but he also knew that Oliver would know that it was not just this which was annoying him. "Clark, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I'm fine." He paused, then looked up at his friend. "How long were you and Tess together?"

Oliver frowned, wondering why Clark was asking, but he put his hands in his pockets and replied, "Well, we started dating when we were 18 and broke up when we were 20 and shortly after that, she started dating Lex and they got married. Anyway, I've got to get back to work." He walked over to the door before pausing. "Erm, Clark, thanks for the talk yesterday. I think I've sorted things out with Felicity, so thanks." As soon as he was gone, Clark ran his hands through his hair. He was angry with Lex for cheating on Tess, he was angry with Oliver for being in love with Chloe as well as Felicity, he was angry with Chloe for marrying Jimmy so quickly….

That evening, when he returned home, the house was dark because of the hour and the whole house was in silence, which was a rear occurrence since the arrival of the twins. Clark saw Lois sitting in the darkened sitting room and he walked into the room. "I'm sorry, Lois."

"You're not that late, Smallville."

He shook his head, as he slipped off his jacket. "No, I'm not talking about that. I-I feel really guilty. I'm a little jealous of the babies for having all of your attention. I love that you're an amazing mother and that's one of the reasons why I fell in love with you. Also, ever since I met you, you've been my best friend and we've always told each other everything."

Lois smiled. "Smallville, you're my best friend too. Can you stop worrying so much? I love you!"

"What if love isn't always enough?" Clark asked, in a panicky voice, sinking down on the sofa next to his wife. "What love isn't enough? It isn't enough for Chloe and Jimmy or for Tess and Lex, so how can it be enough for us, Lois? How can it?"

Taking hold of his hands and squeezed them, Lois whispered, "Because you and I are a team, Clark Lane-Kent. Whatever challenges we face, we face them together and we always will. That's what a true marriage is. I'm sorry that we haven't made love for months and I would give anything to have a night alone with you, but I still love you and that's never going to change."

"I love our life, Lois. I love that I fell in love with my best friend, married her and now I have two beautiful children, but life has never been easy, has it? But we'll face everything together, as you say." They embraced each other in a tight hug and rested their heads on each other's shoulders, enjoying being so peaceful and being together. As their hug ended, they laid their faces together, closing their eyes, as if absorbing strength from the other. They were a team and that had been cemented in their marriage vows, the vows in which they would believe until the end of their days.


	3. Chapter 2: The Lanes' visit

**Here is the next chapter. For the purpose of this story, Tess and Lex are not related; Tess's father is not Lionel Luthor. Read and, please, enjoy:)**

Chapter 2: The Lanes' visit.

Saturday morning arrived and Lois woke up and she did not want to get up; she was grateful that Clark had watched Jane and Ben after she had fed him, as he knew how much she was dreading this weekend. Her parents, Sam and Ellen Lane, were coming to see them. They had not seen her parents since the twins had been born and Lois was quite happy for it to stay that way, but her parents did want to see their grandchildren. Lois wondered if they would be so keen if Lucy had children.

Clark was playing with the twins in the kitchen. Jane's favourite toy at the moment was a toy bear and Ben's was a teddy, which had once been Clark's and his brother's after that. Clark smiled as he watched his children playing and he kissed both of them on the head; he loved them more than he had ever imagined he would ever love children. One of things he loved was that he could see both himself and Lois in their children; Jane looked like her mother, apart from having Clark's eyes and Ben looked exactly like Clark, apart from the fact that he had Lois's brown eyes. Lois was standing at the door, smiling, watching her husband and babies and it was the happiest sight she had ever seen. If only she could freeze this moment in time…

She sat down next to her husband and they kissed each other, before she rested her head against his shoulder, sighed. "I really don't want them to come."

"I know, but they want to see their grandchildren."

"Why can't your parents come instead?" Lois was very close to Clark's dad, Johnathan, and his mum, Martha, and she wished that they were coming instead of her parents. As she picked up Benjamin, she remarked, "Before they come, we need to baby-proof the house." She walked over to the table, with her son in her arms. Clark collected his daughter in his arms and asked, "Why do we have to do that-I know I'm going to regret asking this?"

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Lois sat down and began to eat breakfast, with her baby son in her arms. "They're our babies. We can't have them hurting themselves, can we? Babies are inquisitive and I don't want to take any chances."

"Lois, they're a couple of months old-they can't really do anything yet."

"I don't want to risk anything. Besides, Chloe and Jimmy have baby proofed their house and so has Tess. Oh my goodness, what if the babies don't like my parents? That would make everything so much easier!"

Clark sat down next to his wife, with his baby daughter in his arms and he passed her a rattle so that she had something with which she could fiddle, as Lois had done with Ben. "Lois, I could understand if you had a difficult relationship with your father, but it's with your mother that you have problems and I've never really understood?"

Lois kissed Ben's head and rested her head on his, closing her eyes, as she whispered, "I love my babies so much. I don't want them to ever feel how I felt growing up." There was a huge amount of sadness in her voice and Clark's heart ached; he knew that Lois's childhood had not been easy, but Lois never talked about it, so he did not know the details.

Before he could say anything else, the front door opened and Chloe and Oliver walked in. "Hey, are your parents not here yet?" Chloe asked her cousin, as she took Ben into her arms so that Lois could eat her own breakfast.

"We're going to collect them from the airport in about 2 hours." Lois sighed. "I haven't seen them since Jane and Ben were born. Why do they have to come now? You know what my mother's like, Chloe, you practically grew up with me and Lucy."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I did, but it was easier than being in Smallville with my parents, believe me." She winced at the memories and pulled herself out of the memories and said that Ben needed to have a nappy-change, so she and Lois went upstairs to the bathroom. Oliver walked over to Clark and asked, "Can I hold her?" Clark nodded and passed his daughter to Oliver. Much to his surprise, Jane settled very easily into Oliver's arms Kissing her head, Oliver murmured, "You are so cute, aren't you, Janey? Yes, you are. Yes, you are and you are the luckiest child in the world."

"Do you think you'll ever have kids?" Clark asked, as he began to eat his own breakfast.

Oliver began to spin Jane around in the air, as he replied, "Yeah, I do. I know that Felicity really wants to have kids." He paused, then added, "I'm thinking of asking her to marry me. What do you think?"

Clark smiled at both joy of his friend and at seeing his daughter so happy. "It's about time you asked her-you guys have been together for a year and known each other since you were kids."

"You and Lois were together for 5 years before you asked her to marry you." Oliver remarked, smiling. "Although, we always knew that the two of you would end up together-even before you were friends and you didn't like each other, when we were first at Yale-it was obvious that you were going to end up together." He stopped spinning Jane around in the air and held the baby in his arms. "Is Lois really nervous about seeing her parents?"

Nodding, Clark answered, "Yeah. I really don't understand why. I mean, I know that her father was away a lot and her relationship with her mother isn't the best, but they're still her parents. I guess, because I'm close to my parents, I find it hard to imagine having a bad relationship with one's parents. Lois sees my mum and dad more than she sees her own." Clark stopped talking, seeing how Oliver seemed to be entirely absorbed with Jane and he sighed. "I'm sorry; I know that people talking about their parents must be hard."

Oliver looked up from Jane and forced a smile. "No-I mean, yes, but I had my parents for 10 years. It's better to have parents for a short time and to know that they love you than to have parents for years and have them not loving you." Clark was not convinced and he was sure that Oliver was putting up a façade. He could not imagine what his life would be like without his mum and dad and the idea of loosing them at the age of ten was too painful to comprehend.

Clark's thoughts were interrupted when Lois and Chloe returned and Chloe took Jane from Oliver, claiming that she looked more and more like Lois every day, with which the others agreed. Clark then asked his cousin-in-law if she would check their computer and she agreed and walked into the dining room, where Lois and Clark's main laptop was located after passing Jane back to Oliver. Lois and Clark placed their babies in a cot in the kitchen so that they could both eat their breakfast and the latter asked Oliver if he knew how he was going to propose to Felicity and when he was going to do it. Oliver replied that he was going to act on impulse, before abruptly leaving because he saw Lex's car pull into the drive.

Lex entered their house and remarked on how well they had decorated the new house, before asking his friend if he could help him with something at work. "Is that ok with you, Lois?" Clark turned to his wife.

"Of course, I've got to make the house safe. Just be back in time to get to the airport to pick up my parents." She and Clark kissed, then he kissed the twins, picked up his jacket and followed Lex.

Hearing the door close from the dining room, Chloe carried the laptop into the kitchen and sat at the table working, whilst Lois began to baby proof the kitchen with latches. "I'm so glad that I have work as well as Nicky or I would go crazy and I only have one baby." She murmured to herself; she had returned to work when Nicolas had been eight months old, as she and Jimmy had needed the money, so they had placed their baby in a nursery.

Lois returned to the kitchen after babyproofing some more of the house and she sat down to breast-feed Ben at the table, as she knew that Chloe would not be bothered by such an action. She watched her cousin working intently, with her eyes glued on the laptop screen and she realised how important Jimmy was in Chloe's life; he kept her head in the real world as well as the computer world and that was very important. Before she and Jimmy had started dating, Lois had been worried about losing her cousin, whom she loved as a sister, to the computer world.

Chloe fixed the problem with Lois and Clark's laptop, by which time Lois had fed both of the twins and she was packing their bag for the journey to the airport and she was stressed, trying to force something into a bag. Seeing her stress, Chloe stood up and put her hands on her cousin's preventing her from putting anything else into the bag. "Lois, I think that you need to sit down for minute."

Shaking her head, Lois replied, "No, I can't! I need to get this sorted, or my mother is going to think that I'm an unfit mother!"

"Lois!" Chloe raised her voice as she knew that it was the only way to catch her cousin's attention; Lois stopped and looked at her. Chloe led her over to the table and sat her down. Closing the laptop, she asked, "Lois, you saw your parents after Jane and Ben were born, why are you so nervous now?"

Lois sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "You lived with us, Chloe, you know that my relationship with my parents is less than perfect-my father was always away as a general and my mother…well, the less said about her, the better. I'm just-I'm worried that I'll turn into the kind of mother she was-is- and I don't want that to happen, for myself, Clark or our kids. I don't want to become my mother. I want to have a good relationship with Jane and Ben-I don't want them to feel this way in 30 years when Smallville and I go to visit them."

Chloe took hold of her cousin's hands and whispered, "Lois, we aren't destined to become our parents. If I'd been worried about becoming my mother, I would never have left the house." There was deep sadness in her eyes, she hid it quickly, but Lois saw it and she asked, "Chloe, when I went away to Yale, I left home, why didn't you leave too? Why did you stay living with my mother and sister and attend Met U?"

"I got dual-honours in ICT and journalism, I wouldn't be too snobby about Met U, Lo." Chloe quipped, smiling. Lois laughed, then looked at her cousin seriously and Chloe's smile fell. "I didn't want to leave Auntie Ellen because-because I felt as if I had already abandoned by own parents and I didn't want to do it again. I don't speak to my mother, I don't even know where she is."

"Chloe, you didn't abandon your parents-you were 11 and it wasn't safe for you to be at home anymore, that's why your dad sent you to Metropolis to live with us." Lois paused, then added, "What happened to your mother wasn't your fault."

There was a silence and the two young women looked down at their intertwined hands. Chloe looked up and looked into her cousin's eyes. "Lois, I know that Aunt Ellen makes your life difficult sometimes, but she does love you and so does your dad. You're lucky that you had her as your mother and not mine. What happened made me almost loose my faith." Tears appeared in her eyes and Lois stood up and pulled her into a hug.

The door opened and Oliver walked into the house. He stopped and stood in silence as he saw Lois and Chloe hugging and, much to his surprise, he saw that Chloe was crying. Chloe was one of the strongest people he knew and he had never seen her cry before and the sight and sound broke his heart. He backed out of the kitchen and walked out of the house before either Lois or Chloe could see or hear him.

An hour later, Lois was very stressed again as she was trying to organise what they needed for their journey to the airport. Clark was holding both of the twins and trying to assure that Lois that everything was going to be alright. "Do we have everything we need for the twins?"

Clark smiled at how much she cared. "Yes, honey, we do. Now, we need to get going so that we're not late." He walked over to her and said, "Honey, look at me. Your parents love you and they love their grandchildren. Everything's going to be fine, stop worrying." He could see the panic in his wife's eyes and it was very stressful. Lois flung the bag across her shoulder, before taking her daughter into her arms and walking out of the door. Clark sighed to himself and followed, with their son in his arms.

Upon arriving at the airport, Lois insisted upon holding Ben instead of Jane, as she did not want to appear as if she were possessive of her daughter or did not love her son as much as her daughter. Clark obliged, but he was secretly thinking that his wife was over-thinking every tiny detail. She had even suggested that her parents sleep in their bedroom, because that had an au suit and the guest room did not.

"Why are they not here yet?" Lois asked, through a fake smile which she had been pretending to have on her face for the past five minutes, with her eyes glued on the gate through which her mother and father were going to walk. "Lois, honey," Clark forced himself to smile in order to try to reassure her, "relax, ok? As I said before, everything is going to be fine." He could see the doubt in his wife's eyes and he internally sighed. Lois's silent pain of waiting was finally ended when Sam and Ellen Lane walked through the gate and they smiled upon seeing their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

Ellen kissed her daughter quickly on the check, before lowering her face to the faces of Jane and Ben and smiling at them. "My, haven't you both grown since we saw you when you were tiny babies? Haven't they, Sam?"

Sam Lane nodded, as he collected their suitcases and kissed and hugged his daughter, before turning to Clark and kissing Jane and Ben on the head. His eyes met with Clark's and he smiled slightly and Clark nodded; before Lois and Clark had married, Clark had promised Sam that he would always love and protect Lois and the elder man was happy to see that Clark had followed that promise, as Lois was very happy with her husband and twins.

Clark handed Jane to Ellen and received a look from Lois, but he ignored her and made his way to the car park, so that he could collect their car. As soon as he left, Ellen overserved, "My dear, you are much too thin! You aren't breast-feeing, are you?"

Looking down at Ben in her arms, Lois replied, "No, I am, Mother. All of the research shows that it's the best thing to do."

"Well, I didn't breast feed either of you and you both turned out fine." Lois bit her lip, forcing herself not to retaliate and just nodded. When the car finally appeared, Ellen smiled, "Oh, wow. What a small car you have! Now, let your father take Ben in the back so that you can sit with your husband." Lois protested, but Sam took the baby from her arms, offering her a reassuring smile. As soon as both of her parents were in the car, Lois leaned against the car and rolled her eyes; her mother was already driving her crazy. She looked up to see her husband smiling at her. He opened the car door and whispered, "You're doing great. I love you." That made Lois smile and blush and she made her way into the car, trying to ignore her mother's criticisms of how she was raising her children.

There was a massive traffic jam, which meant that by the time they returned to Lois and Clark's house, it was almost dinner time. Clark entered the house first, with his son in his arms and Lois followed with Jane in her arms. Her parents entered, looking around the house. "I hadn't expected it to be this small, my dear, but each to their own, I suppose." Ellen remarked, as she laid down their suitcases. Lois glanced at Clark, who smiled at her, then said, "Erm.. Mum, Dad, we're going to put you into our bedroom, because it has an en suite and-well- we want you to be comfortable."

Ellen stared at her daughter, shocked. "Certainty not! We will not kick you and your husband out of your room! That is out of the question, Lois; your father and I will be more than happy in the guest room." She paused, before adding, "And maybe after dinner, I can help you put the little ones to bed, if that would help you."

"Well, Clark and I do it together and I don't want to confuse them, but thank you for the offer, Mother." As Lois said it, she could see the look of disappointment in the eyes of both of her parents and her heart sank; she was not trying to be hurtful, she was trying to have control over her own babies.

Clark sensed and saw the tension, so said, "How about you two make yourselves comfortable and we'll get dinner ready? Lois?" Their eyes met and he gave her the 'we need to talk' look. Lois nodded and begrudgingly passed Jane to her mother, Clark passed Ben to Sam and she made her way to the kitchen whilst Clark took Sam and Ellen's cases to the guest bedroom. Alone in the kitchen, Lois lent against the counter, closing her eyes, breathing deeply; she knew that, for her father's sake, she had to remain calm and not retaliate to her mother's comments, but that was easier said than done, especially when it concerned Clark or Jane or Ben. Lois knew that her mother did not approve of her marrying Clark and it broke her heart that she did not accept that person whom she loved.

Lois was pulled away from her thoughts by the sound of Clark's concerned voice and she opened her eyes. "What was all that about?" he asked, in a low voice so that nobody could overhear. "You let Chloe and Oliver put Jane and Ben to bed, so why not your mother?" He began to sort out things for dinner as he was waiting for an answer, as he could tell that his wife was stressed and needed her help. There was a silence and Lois pulled her hair together and put it into a bobble, so that her mother would not make a remark about her hair being so long. "It's just-I know it sounds crazy, Smallville, but I don't want my mother to have control of the situation and I don't want her to have control over my babies." She saw the look of confusion in Clark's eyes, so she took hold of his hands. "I know it sounds irrational, but trust me, I spend my entire life trying to break out of the plan she set out for me-that's why I went to Yale, to get away from her. I didn't want her to control my life. Had I still lived at home, she would never have let me date you." Clark placed his hand on the side of Lois's face and whispered, "Ok, I understand. Just remember that she isn't your enemy… and neither am I. I'm on your side."

"I know you are...you and Chloe are the only ones who are." Lois fell into his arms and sighed. She knew that, no matter what, she would always have Clark, their children and Chloe, they were the only people in her life who were reliable.

Meanwhile, in the guest room, Ellen sat down on the bed and sighed. "Do you think that Lois really doesn't want us here?" Sam was silent for a couple of seconds, before replying, "Of course she wants us here, dear. She's our daughter."

"She may want you here, but she doesn't want me!" Ellen looked at Jane in her arms. "You saw the look in her eyes when I offered to help her put the babies to bed; she looked like a dog who didn't want to loose her bone."

Sam sighed and kissed his grandson on the head. "Ellen, if I may say, you were the same with your mother; whenever she came to see us, you were really possessive of Lois and Lucy-Lo is only doing what she grew up seeing."

His wife turned to look at him and glared, snapped, "So, this is all my fault, is it? I was the one who raised her and her sister, whilst you were away fighting for our country. And then I had to take care of my niece after-when my brother-in-law sent her to Metropolis. I think her living with us made life easier for Lois. I hate the fact that Lois and Lucy don't get on well, they are sisters after all." She added in a soft voice, as Jane and Ben began to reach out to each other, seeking comfort and reassurance. "Look at least two-they know that they're safe as long as they have each other. Why can't our daughters be like that?"

At dinnertime, Lois sat as far away from her mother as was possible and she made sure that she was near her babies for when they needed feeding or needed her or Clark for comfort or love. "This is lovely food, Clark," Sam remarked, as they began to eat, "when did you learn to cook like this? I imagine it wasn't Lois who taught you!" He chuckled, Ellen did the same. Clark smiled slightly, glancing over at his wife, whose eyes were fixed on the plate of food. Clark internally sighed, then replied, "My mum taught me how to cook this meal, actually. It's a very simple and easy meal to make. Lois does make this for me and she makes it very well." He threw his wife a smile and she returned it, with gratitude in her eyes.

Ellen nodded, remarking, "Well, it's nice to see that one good thing came out of the two of you being married-that and the children of course." There was a silence, then Lois opened her mouth, but Clark rested his hand on hers and looking into her eyes, silently telling her that everything was alright and that reacting to her mother would make matters worse. Inhaling a deep breath, Lois forced a smile. "I need to go and change Jane's nappy. Excuse me." With that, she stood up, picked up her daughter and left the kitchen. Clark chuckled slightly, because of the awkward atmosphere and began to talk to Lois's father about football. Sam was sitting there, looking rather embarrassed at what his wife had said; he liked Clark, he could see how much he loved and cared about Lois and their children.

Just as Lois was about to go back into the kitchen, the doorbell rang. It was Chloe with Nicolas. "I thought I'd stop by with Nicky, Jimmy's working late." Lois gave her cousin a thankful look, before dragging her upstairs to her and Clark's bedroom.

Placing Nicolas down on the bed to play with Jane, Chloe asked, "Erm... Am I not going to go downstairs and say hello to your parents?"

"No, you're not-you're going to stay here with me for a while." Lois sat down on the bed, kissing Jane's hands. She sighed, then admitted, "I nearly exploded at my mother. She made a remark about my marriage to Clark-about how nothing good has come out of it apart from my improved cooking skills and the twins. How dare she? How very dare she make a comment about our marriage when I know that her marriage is not a great one? I mean, Clark may not earn a fortune and we don't live in a mansion, but he makes me happy, he loves and cares for me and the twins, so why is that not enough for her? Is anything I do ever going to be enough for that woman?"

Chloe sighed and stocked her son's head. "Lois, I'm sorry that I can't say anything to help, but I am here for you." She paused, then asked, "Has Aunt Ellen always had a problem with Clark?"

Her cousin nodded. "Yeah, she always has. I don't know why, because he's lovely. I think I'm going to text Oliver, ask him if he can come and spend some time with Clark tomorrow, because it isn't fair if he has to stay here with my parents. They're leaving on Monday morning, so they won't be here for…too long." She threw her head back in the air. "I just wish that my mother would accept the person I've chosen to spend my life with…she likes Jimmy, so I don't know why she doesn't like Smallville. I'm so glad that I have you, Chlo."

An hour later, after Jane and Ben were in bed, Lois and Clark said their goodnights and went to bed. They lay in bed together in silence and Lois whispered, "They're only here for two nights, right?"

Clark smiled and nodded. "Yeah, they are. I was very impressed that you didn't shout at your mother, by the way."

"I would have done if you hadn't been there, Smallville. Gosh, what gives her the right dislike you so much? Is it because I didn't marry someone like my father? Maybe. I love you for you."

Kissing her on the forehead, Clark smiled. "I know you do and I love you too. Get some sleep." He stroked her face slightly, their eyes locked on each other's, before lying down and falling to sleep.

Meanwhile, Chloe was sitting in the living room, holding a sleeping Nicolas in her arms. The door opened and Jimmy walked in and he immediately saw the tears in her eyes. "Hey, Chloe, what's wrong?"

Chloe laid her head against his shoulder, which was where she felt safe. "I guess…Lois's parents are staying with her and Clark and-seeing my aunt and uncle again is a reminder of my parents…what I lost. I still speak to my dad and I still see him, but my mother…I haven't seen her since I was 11. I don't even know where she is, but I don't want to find her. Not after what happened." She had never told Jimmy the full story, not even Lois knew the whole story, but he did not know the basics of what had happened.

"Well, I can't even remember my parents. They were arrested when I was a couple of weeks old and I've never tried to find them. They gave me away to my grandpa after I was born, I guess they knew that they were going to be arrested. My grandpa raised me and loved me, but I've never asked him about my parents or tried to contact them. What's the point? They weren't there when I needed them? I can understand why you don't want to speak to your mother. Besides, you have a family now. You're not alone." He said the last part in a whisper. Chloe turned her head to face him and gave him a true smile. Tears of joy fell down her face and they kissed, before taking their sleeping son to bed.

The next morning, Clark was the first awake, so he dressed and carried the twins downstairs so that they were downstairs. He put them in their highchairs and turned on the TV, whilst he read a book which Lois had published shortly before Jane and Ben had been born. He was glad that Oliver was coming round later, because he knew that he would cheer up Lois.

At 7:00, Lois woke up and went downstairs to find her husband asleep on the sofa, whilst their twins had their eyes glued on the TV. Smiling to herself, she draped a blanket over Clark and carried Jane and Ben into the kitchen, closing the door behind her. She knew that Clark had not slept well that night, so she wanted him to compensate for that now.

Just as Lois had prepared her breakfast and had breast-fed both Jane and Ben, the kitchen door opened and Ellen walked into the kitchen. "Let me get you some breakfast, Mother." Lois said, standing up, but her mother stood up and took hold of her wrist. Their eyes met and she replied, "No, I'll do it, dear. You sit down and have your own breakfast." Her fingers loosened and Lois pulled her wrist out of her grip, but smiled slightly, before turning away and sitting back down. With her eyes on her mother in the other part of the kitchen, she began to eat her own breakfast, wondering what was going through her mother's head.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Sam's arrival in the kitchen. He kissed his daughter and wife, then picked up the newspaper and began to read it. Lois saw a look in her mother's eyes, a look which looked like one of disappointment, but she quickly dismissed it as her seeing things.

The tension in the kitchen was interrupted by the doorbell and Lois knew that it was Oliver, so she sprang to her feet and almost ran into the hall to answer the door. "Hi, Lois," Oliver smiled his charming-Queen smile, "I hope this isn't a bad time."

"No, it's perfect. Thanks for coming." Lois almost pulled him into the house and closed the door. "How's Felicity?"

"She's fine, thanks. She's away at the moment, but she'll be back tonight." Oliver paused, then asked, in a low voice so that he could not be heard from the kitchen. "Lois, are you ok? You seem a bit…tense?"

Lois forced a smile. "I'm fine. Come on, come and meet my parents. I'm warning you-my mother hates Clark, so I don't know what she'll think of you." She gave Oliver a look to tell him that she was not joking and then walked back into the kitchen, where her mother and father were sitting having their breakfast, in silence. Oliver walked in cautiously; he had never met Lois's parents and, from everything Clark had told him, he did not really want to do so.

"Mum, Dad. This is Oliver Queen. He was Clark's roommate at Yale and he's a good friend. And he's Jane and Ben's godfather."

Oliver held his hand out, worried that neither of the older adults would shake it, but the general stood up and shook his hand, surveying Oliver with the same searching look he gave everyone when he met them for the first time. Sam frowned and asked, "Queen-where have I heard that name before? Do you run a business or a law firm?"

Glancing at Lois who was sitting with her babies, Oliver nodded. "Yes, General Lane. I inherited and I am CEO of Queen Industries."

"When did you inherit it?" Sam asked, as if he were conducting an interrogation.

Oliver swallowed before answering, "Er…I inherited it after I graduated from Yale. I inherited it from my parents." Sam looked Oliver up and down and remarked, in a very dry tone, "Well, it was very good of them go give you their business at 21-I tell you, I wouldn't give up something like that to my child."

"Daddy, it wasn't like that," Lois could see her friend's discomfort and she wanted to spare him the pain of explaining his situation and matters of inheritance to her father, "Oliver inherited the business because his parents died."

There was an awkward silence and Oliver looked down at his shoes. Ellen stood up and walked over to the fridge. "So, Oliver, what did you study at Yale?"

"I studied Business Studies, Arabic and Greek, Mrs. Lane."

Ellen's response was interrupted by one of Oliver's employees ringing him and information him that he was needed at Queen Industries, so he excused himself and left, noticing the disappointed look on Lois's face. He knew that she wanted him there, but he could not help it. As Oliver left, Clark walked into the kitchen, still looking tired. He kissed Lois on the head, before making himself some breakfast.

There was another silence in the kitchen, apart from the sounds of Ben and Jane, which was due to nobody knowing what to say, until Sam suggested that Lois and Ellen went shopping together. Before Lois could think of an excuse, her mother seemed to be very excited at the idea and Lois did not have the heart to tell her that she did not want to go. She shared a fleeting look of desperation, before Ellen dragged her off to the guest bedroom to pick out a set of clothes for herself.

Sam walked over to Clark and asked, "You and Lois are happy, aren't you? Because she seems to be a bit out of character." Clark was silent for a couple of seconds, before replying, "She-she's still adjusting to her new role of a mother, I think."

"She's doing a very good job-and so are you, son." Sam remarked, before walking into the living room with the newspaper to sit in silence for a while. Clark smiled to himself, glad that Lois's father at least seemed to think that he and Lois were doing a good job of being parents to their daughter and son, but he knew that Ellen did not approve of him and he was not sure what she thought of their parenting techniques.

An hour later, Lois and Ellen left to go shopping and Sam met up with an old friend in Metropolis, leaving Clark alone with Jane and Ben. He played with them for a while and was about to play another game with them when Lex walked into the living room with Alexander and James. The two boys ran over to their adoptive-cousins and began to play with them. Laughing slightly, Clark stood up and asked, "Do you have a key to this place?"

"Why, of course." Lex smiled, but Clark could tell that it was a forced one because it did not quite reach his eyes. "I-er-I wanted to get out of the house for a bit and I figured that you needed some company." He sat down on the sofa and Clark sat down in a chair, so that he was next to his children. "So, how are the in-laws?" there was humour in his voice, which made his friend smile.

Clark sighed. "Well, time hasn't made Lois's mother dislike me any more. That woman has always hated me. Her dad did, but he seems to be okay with me now. My mum isn't like this with you, is she?"

"No, she isn't, but she has known me since I was 18." Lex paused before continuing. "Tess's biological mother, on the other hand, Pam Mercer, she-er-she doesn't like me and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because she's so protective of her daughter, but she can't be too protective considering she gave her up when she was 11. My father doesn't acknowledge Tess-I think he's disappointed that I didn't marry someone from a 'right kind of family'. I know that what I told you may have made you think that I don't love your sister, but I do. With all of my heart."

Sighing, Clark stroked Ben's hair and murmured, "I really wish that I could believe that, Lex, but she is my sister and I don't want to see her hurt-that's the only reason I haven't told her. If anyone's going to tell her, it should be you."

Lex ran his hands over his head. "When we were first married-even after we had Alexander-things weren't this bad, but for some reason, we've just…stopped communicating. You and Lois will never have that problem, trust me; the two of you are made for each other." Clark smiled to himself and remarked, "Everyone has always said that about Lois and I. You know, ten years ago, Lois and I had just started dating…I would never have guessed that we would end up here, but I always knew that she was the one." He pronounced the last part in barley a whisper. He remembered the day he had told Lois that she was 'the one' and the love in her eyes when he had said it.

That evening, Clark made dinner with Felicity's help, as Lois was still out with her mother, Sam was still out with his old friend and Oliver was still at work. As the two friends stood there watching the food, Clark asked, "Are you ok? You seem a bit… off? Has something happened between you and Oliver?"

Felicity looked down at the ground for a while. "I've been offered a job, independent of my parents' company. It's a leading IT role, but it's in London. If I accepted it, I'd have to leave, leave Oliver and, whilst there is a part of me which would like to start over, I don't think I can leave him."

"Do you not love him anymore? Is this because he's in love with someone else?" Clark asked carefully, as he stirred the dinner.

"No! I love Oliver and I don't think that he loves this person anymore, but I want to travel, I want to see the world.. I think I have to go, I have to sacrifice my relationship with Oliver. If I don't, I think I'll regret it for the rest of my life." She paused, then whispered, "Can you understand that?"

Clark looked down at the food in the pan, as he answered, "Going to Yale was a big risk for me-it meant leaving my family, leaving Smallville, but if I hadn't done it, I wouldn't have met Lois. I think you need to discuss this with Oliver and explain to him the reasons for wanting to go." Secretly, he had no idea why Felicity was willing to give up on her relationship with his friend, but he was thinking of his relationship with Lois and he would sacrifice his life before sacrificing his relationship with her.

At that moment, the front door opened and Lois almost ran into the house and she wrapped her arms around her husband. "I have no idea how we're both back here alive." She whispered in his ear, before straightening up as her mother walked into the kitchen.

"Are you cooking, Clark?" she inquired, as she sat down at the table. "I'm glad that you do something useful around here."

Clark pressed his hand against Lois's in order to calm her down, but she ignored him and glared at Ellen. "Mother, can you please stop criticising Clark and me at same time? I love him and he loves me, what more can you ask for? I'm sorry that I'm not the loving, devoted daughter I know you always wanted, but that's your fault, because of how you treated me! I'd rather be the kind of mum am I to my children than the kind of mother you were!" With that, she stormed out of the kitchen. Clark ran after her, but their bedroom door was locked. Through the door, she told him that she was not angry with him, but she did not want to see anyone.

Upon Sam's arrival home, he noted his wife's distressed manner and she told him what their daughter had said. Felicity helped Clark with the dinner, then made her way out of the house as quickly as possible.

At dinner time, the kitchen was a silent room and Lois and Clark were the only ones to speak to each other. Sam did try to speak to his daughter, but Ellen kicked him when he did so, because she wanted him to be on 'her side'.

That evening, Lois collapsed in bed next to Clark and turned over to face him. "I can't believe that I spoke to my mother like that. I feel terrible, but she did deserve it."

Clark sighed and murmured, "Lois, you've been bottling up those feelings for years. I'm not surprised that you snapped at her… but I do think that you should try to remedy it-she is your mother, after all."

"Clark, I have no affection for her at all. If she weren't the woman who raised me, I would want nothing more to do with her." Lois sighed, cursing to herself, put on her dressing gown and went downstairs to the living room, hoping to find her mother there, but it was her dad.

"Daddy? What are you doing up?"

Sam chuckled and replied, "Old people don't sleep." Lois sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "You know, Lo, your mother and I have been married for 30-something years. No marriage is going to be straight forward and, if it were, that would be very strange. Your mother may not be an easy person, but, if I asked Clark, I'm sure that he would say the same thing about you."

Lois closed her eyes. "I'm nothing like my mother."

"Yes, you are sweetheart. You may not realise it now, but you are as possessive of Ben and Jane as she was of you and Lucy. The difference is that you'll have Clark to help you, your mother didn't have my help. I guess that's why you blame her, because she was the one who raised you, not me. I know that she may have made your life hard and I know that she doesn't like Clark, but you make her life hard too. That's what mothers and daughters do."

The next morning, when Lois was feeding Jane and Ben in the kitchen, Ellen walked in. "I see you've baby-proofed the house. It's so easy when you can pull your child away from danger, harder when they have a mind of their own."

"Clark isn't a danger to me, Mother." Lois remarked, keeping her eyes glued on her babies.

Ellen sat down and sighed. "I know, darling, and I'm sorry that my coming causing you so much dread and pain, but all I ever wanted was for you to be happy and safe and now I see that Clark makes you happy and he keeps you safe. I was worried that your marriage may be like mine and your father's, but you and Clark are equal partners and I'm glad, both for you and for Jane and Ben." There was a pause, then Ellen put her hand on the side of Lois's face, forcing Lois to look up and saw that there were tears in her mother's eyes. "Trust me, baby girl, in thirty years, you'll be whishing that Jane and Ben ware the age they are now. It's easy when you can keep your child away from danger." She stood up and Lois called her back. "Mum, I am sorry for how I've acted-it was me trying to keep control of Jane and Ben and that must have been hard for you. You may not believe this, but I do love you."

"I do believe you, Lois, and I love you too." Ellen walked over to her daughter and they hugged. Lois rested her head under her mother's head, as she had done when she had been a small child and she felt safe.

After dropping off Sam and Ellen at the airport, Lois and Clark sat together on the sofa, with their son and daughter on their knees. Clark kissed Lois on the forehead, before whispering, "We have a great life."

"Yeah, we do and I'm so glad that I have you. I don't know what my life would be like without you." She smiled and they kissed, before talking to their babies.


	4. Chapter 3: Made in the second

**I do not own Smallville.**

 **Chapter 3: Made in the second**.

Less than a week later, the marriage of Tess and Lex was being tested and this problem was brought to the attention of Lois and Clark at dinner on a Saturday evening. Lois and Clark agreed to leave Ben and Jane with Chloe and Jimmy for a couple of hours and Tess did the same with Alexander and James. Clark knew that Felicity had gone to New York shortly after Lois's parents had left, so he did not know if she and Oliver had discussed the matter of her job offer or if Oliver had proposed, but he was certain that if Oliver had proposed that the former would no longer be so much of an issue. He had told Lois what Felicity had told him about her job offer and she had agreed that Oliver would be heart-broken if Felicity left him, but conceded that it may be the best thing for her.

An hour before leaving for dinner with Lois and Clark, Tess finished ensuring that her sons had all they needed, before making her way into the bathroom to do her make-up and clothes. As she was doing this, the door creaked open and she knew that it was her husband.

"Lex, can you not find your cufflinks?" Tess inquired in a steady voice as she slipped her earrings through her ear loops. Lex shook his head, smiling. "No, I've found them-I can't find you, my dear." When Tess made no response, he mumbled, "That line worked when we were 20."

Rolling her eyes, Tess snapped, "Yeah, well, we aren't 20 anymore, Alexander!" She only called him by his full name when she was very annoyed with him, so he knew that he had done something to annoy her. She turned around and found him standing directly behind her. "Lex, I don't have time for this."

"Yeah, you never do anymore." He hissed. Their eyes met, both as fiery as the other and Tess asked, in a similar tone, "What's that supposed to mean?" Lex tried to walk out of the bathroom, but she demanded, "Lex Luthor, tell me what you meant by that snarky remark right now!"

Lex froze with his hand on the door handle, before turning around to face his wife. He kept his voice low so as not to alarm or scare their sons. "What I meant was that ever since James was born-which has been four years, by the way- you haven't really been interested in me or spending any time with me."

Tess stared at him. "Lex, what are you talking about? We see each other every day? We have breakfast together and dinner, most of the time, and we have family time in the evening"-

"I mean time to ourselves-without the boys!" Lex glared at her, with fury in his eyes. "I wasn't like this after Alexander was born, so why are you being like this now? Am I boring now-or is it that I can't give you anymore children, so therefore, I'm useless and serve no purpose. You don't need me anymore." Their eyes met and Lex could see shock but also anger in Tess's eyes. There was a long silence, before he flung open the door and stormed out, leaving Tess in the bathroom on her own. She sank down on the floor and tried to prevent the tears from falling, but it was no good; they began to fall and she began to cry, like she had never cried before. The only time she remembered crying like that was after her mother gave her up for adoption, because she had been lost and alone. Why did she feel that way now, when she was by no means, alone, lost or vulnerable?

An hour later, Tess and Lex arrived at the restraint, after not having spoken to each other since their encounter in the bathroom. Tess knew that her brother would notice something, but she also had the feeling that Clark was hiding something from her and she was beginning to wonder if the secret he was keeping was about Lex. She also knew that whatever Clark knew, Lois would also know, as the two of them shared everything…as she and Lex had once done.

Upon seeing Tess and Lex, Clark noticed that his sister seemed to be very uncomfortable and he wondered whether to ask her or not, but he decided against it and decided to ask her when the two of were alone. The meal was a very awkward one, as Lex and Tess refused to talk or even look at each other. Lois and Clark exchanged a look and they knew that something had happened between the two of them. Clark attempted to get Tess to talk, which she did do, but she would not even look at her husband and Lex did the same thing when speaking to Clark or Lois. When the meal came to an end, Clark invited Tess and Lex to their house for a while, after collecting their children from Chloe and Jimmy's. Clark wanted to try to talk to Tess alone, so that he could try and work out what was wrong between her and Lex. He knew that Lex would not tell him.

Tess sent Alexander and James into the kitchen to play, whilst Lois and Clark carried Jane and Ben into the sitting room and sat down with their babies on their knees. Tess sat down on the chair, not saying anything to either of them. She and Lois had never had a proper conversation, but Lois was surprised that she was not talking to her brother. Just as she was about to leave so that her husband and Tess could have some privacy, Lex walked in and marched over to Tess, as if she were his enemy, not his wife. This body language was noticed by both Lois and Clark and they suddenly began to feel very awkward. Lex's lips curled slightly as he said, "Tess, I need to talk to you."

"Then talk." Tess fixed him with her deadly stare and did not blink when their eyes met; she knew what Lex wanted to talk about, but she did not want to have that conversation now. Lex sighed and murmured, "It's about our conversation earlier." He indicated the room next to the living room. Slowly, Tess glared at him and walked through the door, waiting for him to follow her. "What do you want, Lex?"

Lex ran his hands over his head. "Look, what I said in the bathroom, they're feeling that have been bubbling under for a while and I didn't tell you."

"We are husband and wife-we are supposed to tell each other everything." Tess remarked in a calm, yet icy tone, with her eyes fixed on her husband. "I know exactly what you meant Lex, but I didn't marry you just to have kids-which was the implication of your words, by the way-and if you really believe that, you're an idiot." She began to make her way to the door, but Lex moved in her path. "You can't leave until we discuss this properly-like a proper couple." He was trying to keep his voice soft, which was proving to be very hard. He and Tess had always been very well-matched in terms of being argumentative.

Tess inhaled a deep breath, "What I meant was that this isn't a conversation I want to have now. I have to take the boys home." Before she could make her way out of the door, Lex grabbed hold of wrist with his hands and murmured, "I won't let you walk away from me, Lutessa. We have to get past this and we will."

"Let go of my arm!" Tess demanded in the same tone as her husband. When he did not loosen his grip, she repeated it in a louder voice so that Lois and Clark could hear. Their eyes met and Tess could see fear and pain in Lex's eyes, but also anger. She pulled her arm out of Lex's grip, glared at him and walked back into the living room. Lois and Clark had heard every single word and were now feeling very uncomfortable. Lex walked back into the room. Tess walked over to her adoptive-brother and forced a smile, "Thanks for the food, Clark. We need to be making tracks, don't we?" There was a tone in her voice which Clark had never heard before and he was becoming very concerned about the relationship between Tess and Lex.

As soon as Alexander and James were in bed and asleep, Lex walked into his and Tess's bedroom and saw that she was preparing herself for bed. "Tess," he began in a gentle voice, "I'm sorry. Did I hurt your wrist?"

Continuing to stare into the mirror, Tess answered, "Not physically, Lex. I've known you long enough to know that you like to have control over everything and everyone-I suppose I'm one of the few things or people whom you cannot control."

Lex sat down on their bed and whispered, "I love you, Tess, you know that?"

"Love isn't the issue for us anymore, Lex," Tess replied in a very harsh voice, before turning around to face her husband, "now I'm going to go and sleep downstairs on the coach. Don't tell me you'll go and do it. Tomorrow, for the sake of our boys, just… be normal. We'll sort this out."

"Why do you love them more than you love me?" Lex inquired in a barley a whisper. "You'll do anything to spare their feelings, but when it comes to me, it's as if you don't care anymore. When did we become this couple, Tess?" He looked into her eyes, but she did not look back. "I'll see you in the morning." With that, she turned away and walked out of their bedroom and downstairs. There, she settled down on the sofa and closed her eyes, trying to close out the problems of the world.

The next morning, as Lois and Clark made breakfast for themselves and Lois fed Jane and Ben, Lois asked, "Do you have any idea what all of that was about last night?"

Clark shook his head. "I don't know, but I didn't like the sound of it. I know that Lex is possessive, he always has been, but I never thought that he'd hurt Tess."

"Maybe he didn't-maybe we hurt it wrong." Lois remarked, before biting her lip. "If they got divorced, it would be very hard for you, wouldn't it?"

Kissing Jane and Ben on the head, her husband sat down. "Yeah, it would. I mean, Tess is my sister, so ultimately, my loyalty would have to be to her, but… Lex is one of my best friends…I don't think that it'll come to that, though. They've been married for ten years. If they gave up every fight, they would have been divorced after their first week of marriage." Clark knew that this fight had been different from the other fights Tess and Lex had had in the past, but he did not want to admit that to anymore, even though he knew that Lois was thinking the same thing.

Their thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the front door and Tess walked in. "Hey, bro. How are you today?" Clark smiled wearily, wondering why Tess was at their house at 8:00 in the morning, but before he could ask, he received a text from Lex, asking him to meet him at his house. Sighing internally, he said, "I gotta go. Are you ok?"

Tess forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine, Clark. Don't worry. I can talk to Lois." She was really dreading being alone with Lois as the two of them had never had a conversation, despite Lois being with her brother for the past ten years. Clark smiled, then he and Lois briefly kissed, he kissed the twins and left the house, grabbing his jacket as he left.

As the door closed, Tess slowly sat down at the table. In order to break the silence Lois asked Tess if she wanted coffee, which her sister-in-law declined. A short silence followed, then Lois asked in a soft voice, "Do you want to talk about what happened last night?"

Tess suddenly burst into tears and Lois stayed still, unsure of what to do. She passed her a tissue, but that did not seem to help. The door opened and Oliver and Felicity walked in. Upon seeing Tess crying, Oliver knelt down next to the chair and murmured comforting words; the two of them had been together for two years, so they knew each other very well. Tess buried her head in Oliver's shoulders as she sobbed, "It's Lex. We've fallen into a dark pit and I'm not sure how to get out-or even if we can get out! Despite everything, I love him and he loves me! How did we end up here?" She slid off the chair and into Oliver's arms, sobbing out her heart. Felicity knelt down next to her boyfriend and Tess on the floor and murmured words of reassurance. Lois sat there, with Ben in her arms, wondering why she was so useless when it came to comforting people, apart from when it was Clark or Chloe.

A couple of minutes later, Tess stood up and regained her composer. "Tess, are you sure everything's ok?" Felicity inquired, worried about the other woman. Tess forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." Her eyes met with Oliver's and she knew that he knew that she was lying, but she also knew that he understood her need to carry on. She accepted Lois's offer of coffee and picked Jane out of her highchair to have something, someone to hold and Jane was very comfortable in the arms of her adoptive-aunt.

Oliver and Felicity left shortly after this. When they were back at Felicity's flat, she remarked, "You knew how to comfort Tess when she was upset, Oliver. You obviously know each other well."

"We dated, we knew each other, obviously." Oliver frowned and asked, "Felicity, is everything ok? You've been acting a bit strange since you came back." His girlfriend chuckled and smiled, "Yeah-I forgot that you can read me like a book and that goes both ways, by the way." She paused, before adding, "I know who you were in love with, before you were with me and I can tell that you don't feel that way now."

Sitting down on the sofa, Oliver asked, "Is that what's been bothering you?"

"No, that isn't what's been bothering me recently." Felicity bit her lip. "Last weak, when I was in New York, I was offered a new job, in a leading IT role. It would mean finally escaping my parents' company and proving to them that I'm my own person-not just their daughter."

A smile spread across her boyfriend's face. "Felicity, congratulations. If you want the job, then take it!" He paused, then asked, "Why has that been bothering you?" Felicity weaved her hands through his as she answered, "The job is in London."

"Well, we can work that out-I mean, I can go to London to see you, you can come here. We can work that out, you don't have to worry about that." Realisation dawned over his face and he murmured, "You don't want us to make it work, do you?"

With pain in her voice and eyes, Felicity insisted, "It isn't like that, Oliver. I want to stay with you. I want the job and it's in London…. I think that I need to explore everything before I make a final decision. I know this sounds crazy, but I've known for all my life." Tears began to fall down her. "But there's a part of me that doesn't want to leave you, because I love you, but the other half of me is telling me to take the risk." There was a silence, then Oliver murmured, "You should go. If this is how you feel, then go. Explore everything and everywhere you've ever wanted to go but only if you can look me in the eye and tell me that you don't love me anymore."

Felicity inhaled a deep breath. Why was Oliver asking her to do that, he knew that she still loved him? Their eyes met and Felicity whispered, "I don't love you anymore, Oliver Queen." She maintained eye contact so that he would believe her, before standing up and walking away, leaving Oliver heartbroken. Felicity's heart was broken too, but she believed that ending their relationship was the best thing to do for both of them, despite how much it was hurting them.

Clark finally arrived at Lex and Tess's house and he walked into the living room and saw Lex playing with Alexander and James. "Lex," he said his name to catch his attention.

Lex walked away from his sons and led Clark into the hall so that Alex and James could not hear him. "I haven't seen Tess this morning, she left before I woke up? Have you seen her, how is she?"

"I don't know, I didn't really see her." Clark replied, maybe a little too quickly, but he did not want to feel as if he were betraying his sister. "Lex, what happened between the two of you last night?"

Shrugging, Lex replied, "It started off as just a normal argument and I expressed some feelings that I've had for a while and… then that was it. Later, at your house, I tried to talk to her and she went mad with me again and tried to walk away from me. She's never tried to do that before."

"Is that when you grabbed her arm?" Clark asked in a very careful voice, avoiding looking at Lex in the eye. The shock and pain of what Clark was suggesting was evident in Lex's eyes and he insisted, "Clark, I know that I'm not the best husband in the world, I would hold my hands up to that, but I resent the implication that I would ever hurt Tess-it was a natural reaction. Are you honestly telling me that, when you and Lois have a fight, you don't grab her wrist to prevent her from walking away from you?"

Clark stood there in silence for a couple of seconds before shaking his head and murmuring, "No, if Lois wants to walk away from me, there must be a reason." He looked down at his shoes, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable with the entire situation.

Later that day, Lois took Jane and Ben to the park, as Clark had been called into work. She sat with them, watching them play together and she was glad that she could see both herself and Clark in the twins. Her thoughts were interrupted by Tess's voice as she asked, "May I join you?" She had James in her arms, whom she set down on the matt next to Jane and Ben and soon he ran off to play on the play equipment. Tess smiled at her son as he played and then Lex appeared and began to play with Alexander and James. Tess smiled to herself and whispered to Lois, "That's what he used to be like-how he is with the boys, that's how he used to be with me. How I wish I could turn back time and make him that person again."

Lois stroked Jane's hair as she remarked, "He obviously loves them."

Tess nodded, but her eyes turned sad. "Yes, he does, more than he loves me now. I never thought that that would ever happen, but it has…. I don't think that would have happened if I'd married Oliver." The latter part of what she said she had not intended to say aloud, but Lois heard it and sighed to herself, as she realised something: Tess had loved Oliver more than she had loved Lex.

There was a silence, then Tess remarked, "It didn't used to be like this, but after our fights-and we're having a lot of them now- we-we can't seem to be able to find each other, find the person we fell in love with, I mean. I know it sounds crazy and maybe it's all in my head, but I have a feeling that Lex may be hiding something very big from me and I think he's hiding it because he's so afraid of what it would mean for our marriage." Lois shifted on the matt uncomfortably, as she knew what Lex was hiding from his wife, but she knew that it was not her place to tell her. If anyone was going to tell Tess, it had to be Lex himself.

That evening, when Tess arrived home with her sons, Lex was standing in the hall waiting for them. He took James in his arms and led Alexander into the kitchen by the hand and Tess followed. She was shocked to see that Lex had made and laid out dinner for the four of them. Slowly, she sat down. As the meal began, she finally met Lex's eyes and smiled at him, showing her gratitude for making dinner for the family, but when it came to bedtime, as she had done the night before, she slept on the sofa and she very disappointed when Lex did not go downstairs to speak to her about what was happening with the two of them.

Meanwhile, Jimmy arrived home in the early hours of the morning and was shocked to find that Chloe was sitting in the living room, waiting for him. She kissed him on the check and led him into the living room, where they sat down on the sofa. "How was your day?" Jimmy stiffened and moved away from her, as he mumbled, "I don't wanna talk about it. Let's go to bed."

"Jimmy, if there's something bothering you, we should talk about it." Chloe insisted, trying to look into her husband's eyes. "We are married, that's what married couples are supposed to do." She could see the darkness in Jimmy's eyes and she was almost fearful of what was troubling him. He forced a smile. "And we will talk about it. Tomorrow, when Nicky is at his friend's." With that, he stood up and walked away. Chloe sat there in silence, wondering why he was being so cold with her and wondering if someone had told him something about her which he did not know and she was thinking of the things in her life which would cause him to react like this and she could not think of any, apart from one, but there was no way that he could know about that or was there?

When the morning came, Chloe quickly washed and dressed and dropped Nicolas off at his friend's so that they could play. After speaking to his friend's father for a while, she kissed her son goodbye and left to go home.

Jimmy was standing in the kitchen, waiting for his wife to return. "Chloe," he whispered her name as she entered the kitchen, "yesterday, at work, somebody said something to me which made me think: he said-he told me that you only married me because you were pregnant. That isn't true, is it?"

Chloe stared at him and asked, "How can you believe that, Jimmy? I married you because I loved you. I wouldn't have married you if I didn't love you and I do, so very much. More than you can understand!"

Jimmy turned to face her and Chloe saw that there were tears in his eyes. "It's an interesting point, though, isn't it? I mean, we'd only been together for a couple of weeks when we married. What kind of normal relationship is that? And we made love after being together for a couple of days, is that a normal thing to do?"

"I don't know," Chloe admitted, "you're the only boyfriend I've ever had." She paused, then began, "Jimmy, this is ridiculous! I told you I was pregnant with Nicky, you proposed a couple of days later and I accepted. I don't understand why you're so troubled by this now! If you believed that my acceptance was insincere or as a consequence of my pregnancy, why did you not say so at the time? But it isn't true, Jimmy!"

"I wanted to believe that it was sincere, but… now I'm not so sure." Tears began to fall from his eyes as he spoke those words.

Chloe shook her head, forcing back the tears. "What are you saying, Jimmy? Why are we having this conversation now? We've been married for a year, why now?" There was a long silence, then Jimmy walked over to her and took hold of her hands. He rubbed them as he whispered, "I love you, Chloe, I always will. You are the love of my life"-

"And you're mine." Chloe interrupted in a fragile, breaking voice as tears began to fall down her face, "you're the love of my life, Jimmy. That's why I married you."

Jimmy looked down at the ground and inhaled a deep breath, before continuing, "-But I think that we need a break from each other."

Chloe stared at her husband in shock. "What do you mean 'a break from each other'? Are you talking about a divorce or legal separation, because, Jimmy, we can work through this, I know we can."

Jimmy looked into her eyes and smiled slightly. "I know we can. Chloe Sullivan and James Olsen can work through anything, but I think our relationship was too rushed, so we need to take a step back and.. see how things go and when things are back to normal, we can go back to normal, living as husband and wife. I only want to do this if you agree with me. Do you think this is what's best for us, Chloe? Be honest with me."

Cloe pulled him into a hug and buried her head in his shoulders, which meant that he could feel her shaking with pain. Exhaling a deep breath, with her face still hidden in his jumper, she whispered, "Yes. I think it's the best thing for us, but it's tempory, because we will be together again."

"We are meant to be together, Chloe. I'm sure of that and I thought that from the first time we met." Jimmy's heart was breaking just as much as Chloe's and there was a part of him which wanted to rescind the offer of legal separation, but he also knew that Chloe had only just accepted it, so it would not be fair to go back on what he had told her. He hugged her back, feeling very safe and loved in her embrace, as he always had done and was sure he always would.

Half an hour later, Lois ended her conversation with Chloe and re-entered the kitchen to her husband and babies. "Is Chloe ok?" Clark asked, as he wiped Ben's mouth. Lois sat back down and pulled Jane onto her knee as she replied, "No, she isn't. She and Jimmy had a massive argument and they've decided to legally separate for a while, he's going to rent a flat nearby."

"What was the argument about?" Clark inquired and Lois replied that she did not know. She sighed and asked, "Have you heard from Tess or Oliver?"

Sighing, Clark nodded. "Yeah, Oliver and Felicity have broken up and she's moving to London. She told Oliver that she didn't love him anymore. I don't believe her, but sadly, I think Oliver does. I haven't heard from Tess or Lex, but what Lex said yesterday… it made me shudder inside."

"Hmmm… well, he has always been possessive, but, despite what we heard that night, I don't think that he'd ever hurt Tess. He loves her too much."

"If he loves her so much, why did he cheat on her?" Clark snapped. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed again. "I know that they love each other, but it obviously isn't always enough. The same for Chloe and Jimmy. They love each other so much. There is a pattern, though- both Chloe and Jimmy and Tess and Lex married very soon after they began dating. Maybe that means that they didn't have the time to…get used to each other and have arguments before they married."

Lois chuckled as she remarked, "Well, we certainly didn't have that problem." Clark smiled at her, with great love in his eyes. "No, we did not. We took our time with our relationship and that's paid off. But I always knew that you were the one for me."

"I know. Even when I didn't like you, I had a connection with you, one which I can't describe, but it was deep and I think I know why now." Their eyes met and they smiled at each other, knowing what the other was thinking. Clark stood up and walked past the door and suddenly saw the look of disappointment on Lois's face. He followed her gaze and saw that she was looking at the binbag which was next to the door, so he picked it up. "I'll take this out, then." He said, in a casual voice.

The anger in Lois's eyes continued began to build and Clark was very confused as to what the cause was. Lois set down the twins in their playpen in the living room, before returning to the kitchen, with her arms folded, looking very annoyed. "If I hadn't said, would you have picked up that binbag?"

Clark frowned and replied honestly, "Well, no, but… I have, that's what matters."

"No, it isn't! You should do these things without me having to remind you. I know that you work so hard, Clark, but on the weekends, I would love it if you actually did some contributions to the house besides the cooking! I spend my entire week keeping the house tidy and then you come home and completely trash the place! Have some feelings!"

Utterly perplexed, Clark chuckled. "Lois, this is insane. I've picked it up and I'm going to go and do it. Why do you have to be so dramatic and blew everything out of proportion?"

"I'm blowing everything out of proportion?" Lois raised her voice, her eyes fiery with anger. "I wasn't the one who, a couple of weeks ago, who was jealous of a couple of baby twins because they were having the attention of my wife! That was you, Clark!"

"Lois, I was being honest with you about how I felt!" Clark snapped, becoming angry himself. "If helping out with the house meant so much to you, you should have told me that was how you felt and I could have helped, which would have prevented this argument!"

Lois walked over to him and looked into his eyes, before murmuring, "I shouldn't have to tell you, Clark- you should get know. We are a partnership, after all." With that, she walked back into the living room to check on Jane and Ben.

Clark stood in the kitchen silent, before taking the rubbish outside. He sighed, wondering how such a small matter could turn into such a massive argument. He knew that Lois was stressed about the twins and the babies, but he did not know that she felt that strongly about it. Meanwhile, Lois was sitting playing with the twins, keeping her tears of anger and sadness from falling; she was so angry with Clark for not contributing to their housework. She stroked Ben's hair and inhaled a deep breath to calm herself down.

That evening, Chloe and Clark helped Jimmy to move his things into a flat where his grandfather lived. It was 10 minutes away from where he had lived with Chloe, which meant that he would be able to see his son and Chloe as often as he wanted. Clark was helping Jimmy in order to avoid Lois, as the two of them had not spoken a word to the other since they had argued, but that was normal for the two of them, as they were both as stubborn as the other and they knew that it would be resolved by bed-time.

Tess returned home from work and Alexander and James ran over to her and pulled her into hug, saying that they had missed her. Kissing them, Tess looked up and saw Lex and her feeling in her heart was one of aching. As soon as the boys were gone, she followed Lex into the kitchen. "Tess, I'm so sorry if what I said or did the other night hurt you. I know that you love me and I love you, so can we work on this, make it work, please? I'm sorry for being such a jerk." Tess sighed and looked down at the ground. "This is also my fault, Lex. I've been so focused on Alex and James that I haven't been paying attention to you. I am sorry and we have to make this work."

"Have to make it work for us or for our sons?" Lex asked in a careful voice. Tess looked into his eyes and smiled slightly, but did not reply, so he inhaled a deep breath and continued, "Well, my father has said that he needs me in Smallville foe about a week, so I'll go there for about a week. Is that ok and when I get back, we can have a proper talk. Ok?"

Sitting down, his wife fixed him with her piercing green eyes and asked, in a stale voice, "Can't we have the talk now?" There was a silence, then Lex shook his head. "No, I think that we need time apart for a while. I'm sorry." He walked over to her and kissed her on the head. He lingered there for a couple of seconds, before straightening up and leaving the room. He called down Alexander and James, said goodbye to them and left. As soon as the door was closed, Tess pulled her two sons into a tight hug. After that, she tried to call Clark.

When Lois arrived home, after spending some time with Chloe and Nicolas, she saw how dark the kitchen seemed to be and how quiet it was. Walking into the kitchen, she saw that candles were laid out. Clark walked over to her and put down his mobile phone. "That was Tess, Lex is going to Metropolis for a couple of weeks."

"Did you do all of this for me?" Lois asked in a fragile voice. "And you've tidied the house as well?"

Clark nodded. "Yes. Jane and Ben are with Oliver for the night. I recreated the room to be the room when we first declared our love for each other." Lois smiled and sighed. "Smallville, I overreacted this morning, I'm sorry it wasn't fair to you."

"No-you were right. We are a partnership, therefore, you have to act like it." Clark walked over to his wife and took hold of his hands. "You know, one of the differences between you and I and Tess and Lex-even Chloe and Jimmy- is that after you and I fight, we can find each other, whereas they can't. That's one of the many reasons that made me fall in love with you." They chuckled slightly, before Lois stood on his feet and they began to dance slowly around the kitchen with the candle light. Looking into each other's eyes, they could see the love they had for each other. "I love you more than I can express." Lois whispered, with tears of joy forming in her eyes.

Clark smiled and whispered, "I love you too." They shared a light, loving kiss, before Lois rested her head under Clark's head and closed her eyes. They stayed in that position, enjoying being with each other. Clark finally closed his eyes too, soaking up this moment with the love of his life, as they continued to dance in silence. They did not speak, as there was no need to do so; in their hearts, they knew how they felt about the other and that was what was important.


	5. Chapter 4: Nights of love

**I do not own Smallville. Read and enjoy:)**

Chapter 4: Nights of love.

Friday morning came and Lois was so tired of speaking to mainly babies for the entire day; she loved her babies, but she did want to have one night alone with Clark. Their dance and reaffirmation of their love the week before had been as magical as anything they had ever experienced together, but Lois was also tired of supporting Chloe; her cousin was refusing to accept her situation with Jimmy and Lois also had the feeling that she was hiding something from her and Jimmy. Meanwhile, Lex was still in Smallville and, as far as Lois and Clark were concerned, he had had no contact with Tess. Jimmy and Chloe were on speaking terms, they saw each other and spent time with their son.

Just after Clark left for work, there was a knock on the front door and Chloe walked into the house. "Nicky's with Jimmy today," she sighed, "so I thought I'd come and see how you're doing."

Chuckling, her cousin answered, "Pretty soon, I think I'll be able to speak Baby language than the English language." She stopped and ran her hands through her hair, kissing her babies on the head. "I'm sorry. I know that I have a wonderful life, wonderful children and I made the decision to stay at home with Jane and Ben, but it's so hard sometimes, you know?"

"Have you and Clark made up?" Chloe inquired in a careful voice, referring to their argument about the house and Clark's part in helping out in the house. Lois looked at her cousin with shock in her eyes as she nodded. "Yeah, of course we have. When Smallville and I have an argument, it's all sorted out by bedtime, because we don't like to go to sleep at odds with each other- at least, not now. We did when we were dating to begin with." She sighed. "I can't believe that Lex hasn't been in contact with Tess. They've been married for about 10 years and they have two kids together and Tess'll probably take him back-if Clark didn't speak to me for that long, I would be so angry."

"Not everyone's relationship is like yours and Clark's." Chloe snapped, "I mean, not everyone has such a perfect relationship like you and Clark."

"Our relationship is hardly perfect, we normally bicker about something before breakfast."

"Yeah, but Clark would never suggest legal separation!" Chloe bit back her tears. She sat down next to her cousin's babies on the floor and Lois sat down next to her. Inhaling deep breaths, Chloe remarked, "The argument Jimmy and I had was about my reasons for marrying him. He thinks that I only married him because I was pregnant with Nicky. That isn't true, Lois, I married him because I loved him and he's the only one for me."

Lois sighed, wondering what to say to her cousin, knowing that most of what she would say would make no to little difference. "Chloe, I'm saying this to be honest with you, but I thought that was one of the reasons why you married him-obviously, you loved him, but maybe you wouldn't have married him so quickly. I even thought that, for a while"-she suddenly stopped, shaking her head and looking down at her babies.

Chloe looked up and frowned. "What, Lois? What did you think?" When her cousin shook her head, she added, "Lo, you can tell me, I won't get mad. I promise."

There was a long silence, before Lois cleared her throat. "Well, there was a time, after you told me you were pregnant, I wondered if the baby really was Jimmy's." The implication of her words was evident by the look of hurt in Chloe's eyes, as they began to brim with tears. She forced a smile, as she whispered, "Lo, you have to believe me. Jimmy's the only man whom I've ever loved, the only man I ever will love. He's Nicky's dad, I know he is." She hesitated, "but a couple of days before Jimmy and I got together, I did have a one-night stand with someone. I… was attracted to this guy, but it didn't mean anything, it was nothing compared to when I make love with Jimmy."

"Who was it, Chlo?" Lois asked, although she was sure that she would not receive an answer.

"I can't tell you, Lois, I'm sorry." The two women sat in silence for a couple of minutes, before Chloe suggesting, "It's Friday night tonight. How about I watch Jane and Ben for you and you and Clark can go out and have fun? I'll get Oliver to babysit with me."

A smile spread across Lois's face. "Thanks so much, Chloe. Smallville and I really do need a night to ourselves. What about Nicky?"

"He's spending the afternoon with me and then the evening and night with Jimmy, he's staying close by so it's very easy for us to exchange him." She laughed lightly, but the smile did not reach her eyes and her cousin could see the pain in her eyes. She knew that Chloe loved Jimmy with all of her heart and she could not imagine what this separation was doing to her. Maybe, in the long-term, it would help their marriage, but at the moment, it was doing more harm than good to Chloe and it broke Lois's heart.

Meanwhile, at Queen Industries, Clark was sitting at his desk working, when his mobile phone buzzed and he smiled, seeing that the text was from Lois. He replied, then was about to return to work, when there was a knock on the door and Oliver walked into his office. "Ah, Oliver. Lois has just texted me. Would you and Chloe be able to babysit Ben and Jane for us tonight?"

Oliver looked at him startled. "You want me to babysit with Chloe?"

"Yeah, we won't be gone for too long." Clark sighed and asked, "What's wrong with doing it with Chloe? I thought you were over her now?"

"Yeah, I am. It's just," Oliver bit his lip, thinking about how to express it in words, "Ever since she married Jimmy, we haven't really talked-I mean, of course we've talked, but before she married Jimmy, we spent so much time together and we told each other everything and that all changed after she married Jimmy. The time she used to spend with me, the things she told me are now all of the things she does with Jimmy."

Clark nodded in understanding. "I can understand that, the two of you were very close. I'm sorry about that." Their conversation was interrupted when the phone rang. It was Lex. "Lex, how are you?"

" _Fine, thanks, Clark… How's Tess_?" Lex sounded almost scared when he inquired about his wife. Clark looked up at Oliver, who shook his head and rolled his eyes. He hesitated, before answering, "If you want to know how she is, why don't you call her? Or better still, come home and talk to her. You haven't seen her or the boys for days."

There was a silence, then Lex murmured, " _It isn't that simple, Clark. My relationship with Tess is never simple anymore. Just-I'll be back soon, I promise. Take care of her and the boys_." Before Clark could say anything more, the line went dead, so he put down the phone. "That was Lex." He told his boss and friend.

"Yeah, I guessed," Oliver responded in a bitter tone, "I can't believe he's still in Smallville. I think he's probably up to something else in Smallville, if you know what I mean. He's done it before, I wouldn't put it past him."

Shocked, Clark frowned. "How do you know that he's cheated on Tess?"

A devious smile spread across Oliver's face as he replied ambiguously, "Let's just say I know things. I knew why before you did." He walked towards the door, then Clark asked, "Oliver, you know Tess better than anyone-better than me, maybe-do you think that she knows about Lex's extra-marital activities?"

"I think if it were anyone else's marriage, should would, but it's here own…people are very often blind to what's right in front of them." He paused, then asked, "What are you and Lois going to go and see tonight?"

Chuckling, his friend answered, "I'll let her decide that." With that, Oliver threw him a smile as he left the office. Clark returned to his work, but he wondered how Oliver knew about Lex's affairs.

In Smallville, after hanging up on Clark, his brother-in-law, Lex continued to stare at his laptop in a despite attempt to finish the piece of work on which he was failing miserably. His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened and Lana Lang walked in. Upon seeing him, a smile of joy spread across her face and she ran over to him. "Lex, you didn't tell me that you were back in Smallville!"

"Yes, well I thought it would be better if we kept our distance from each other." Lex answered in a dry voice, trying not to look at her; he did love Tess, but he also loved Lana and he did not want to betray his wife again. Lana nodded and sat down on the chair opposite him. "I understand and respect that, Lex. You're honouring your marriage vows and I think that's a very honourable move, especially with a wife like yours."

"You don't know anything about Tess or about my marriage!" Lex snapped, glaring at her.

Lana nodded, stood up and walked over to the door. "Wait!" Lex cried in a tone of desperation. Before he could think about what he was doing, he ran over to Lana, threw his arms around her and kissed her passionately. She pulled away, shaking her head, but he continued to kiss her and eventually, she kissed him back with equal passion. After a while, Lex smiled with joy and love and carried her to bed.

That evening, Jimmy knocked on the door of the house where he had lived with Chloe until about a week ago. The door opened and Chloe handed him Nicolas, after kissing him. "So, do you have everything you need?" she asked, sounding worried.

Smiling at her reassuringly, Jimmy smiled, "Chloe, I'm his dad, he's going to be fine, ok? I know how to take care of him, don't worry." He hesitated, then asked, "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks." Chloe replied, a little too quickly. She sighed and lent her head on the side of the door. "I miss you, Jimmy."

Jimmy bit his lip and whispered, "I miss you, too, Chloe." He kissed her on the check, before walking away with Nicolas in his arms. At the gate, he turned around and made Nicolas wave. Chloe laughed and smiled at Jimmy and their son lovingly as she waved back and until they were out of sight. She was very glad that she was babysitting Jane and Ben, because this was her first night without Nicolas since he had been born. She missed him and Jimmy.

Clark closed the front door as he arrived home. He almost ran into the kitchen and kissed and hugged Jane and Ben before he began to feed them some food so that Lois did not always have to do it, with their argument of last week in his mind. Lois stood at the door, silent, watching her husband with their two children, smiling to herself, as she remembered how great her life was. She finally made her presence known by clearing her throat. Clark looked up and saw her in a bed dress. Smiling, he walked over to her and held her in his arms. "You look…stunning, Lois."

Smiling back, Lois fiddled with his tie and replied, "So do you, Smallville, even though you've just returned from work." Their eyes met and they kissed, before she suggested, "How about you go and get ready, I'll feed the twins and then you and I can go out. How does that sound?"

"Perfect." Clark kissed her again, before letting go of her and walking upstairs to their bedroom. Lois smiled and sighed, happily, quite content with her situation in life and she wished that her cousin were thus as happy.

An hour later, Chloe was with Jane and Ben. After playing with them for a while, she put them in their highchairs and put CBBC on the TV for them, as she sat with Jane on her knee and read a book. Her reading was interrupted by her mobile phone going with the alert of a text; it was Jimmy, he sent her a photo of him and Nicolas smiling together. Whilst she knew that Jimmy's intention was to cheer her up to show her that Nicolas was having fun, tears of sadness filled her eyes, so she locked her phone and ran her hands through her hair. She missed Jimmy so much and the fact that he was alone with their son was heart-breaking. All she wanted was Jimmy back in her arms, and in her life, as her husband and the love of her life.

"Chloe?" She heard Oliver's voice from behind her, so she wiped her eyes quickly before turning to face him. "Hey, Oliver. I'm glad you're here. I think Ben's in some need of female company." The two of them had not really spoken to each other since she had married Jimmy and the tension between them was obvious.

Oliver cleared his throat, as he began, "Chloe, I'm sorry that things have been awkward between us since you married Jimmy. You're my best friend and I don't want to loose you."

"I know." Chloe stood up and walked over to her friend. "Oliver, I think that we need to put our past differences behind us and be friends again. You're the only real friend I've had and I'm sorry that you were pushed away from me when Jimmy and I married. I knew it was going to happen, I guess I wasn't ready for it, though." There was a silence, then Oliver asked in a careful voice, "You didn't tell Jimmy, about… what happened?"

Chloe shook her head and replied, "No, I didn't. I didn't because I think it's best to keep the past in the past, if you know what I mean. It's for the best. I guess I also- I felt really bad about what happened and that's one of the reasons why I've been avoiding you."

Oliver pulled her into a hug and she buried her face into his jumper. "You don't need to be sorry about what happened and I do understand why you didn't tell Jimmy." They stood apart and Chloe laughed nervously, before Oliver inquired, "Is that why you were crying when I came in? Because of Jimmy?" Their conversation had now suddenly shifted from their friendship to her relationship with Jimmy, as it was safer ground and easier for both of them. He walked over to the twins and picked up Jane to give Chloe some space.

"Yeah, we're now legally separated and he has Nicky for the night." Chloe sat down on the sofa. "I thought I'd be able to handle not having Jimmy and Nicky around, but it's harder than I thought." She began to sob. "I miss him, Ollie! So much. He's my husband. He said that I only married him because I was pregnant and that isn't true! It isn't!" Oliver sat down next to her and rubbed her back with his free hand in order to comfort her, as he remarked, "I know how much you love Jimmy-how much you love each other- and, deep down, I'm sure he knows that too. Just give him time. He'll come round soon. You're the love of his life, Chloe. And if it's any consolation, my love life is a complete mess." He chuckled slightly and Chloe smiled. "I can't believe that Felicity went to London and broke up with you."

Standing up to entertain Jane, Oliver remarked, "Well, I guess I wasn't good enough for her." He pretended to throw Jane in her air and smiled with joy as the baby girl giggled. Chloe laughed too, then asked, in a careful voice, "She didn't leave because you're in love with someone else, did she?"

Keeping her eyes fixed on Jane, her friend answered, "No, she didn't. Besides, I'm in love with her, not this other woman and she knows that." There was another silence, before he asked, "Have you heard about Tess and Lex?"

"About him being in Smallville, whilst she, Alex and James are here in Metropolis? Yeah, I have and I cannot believe him." Chloe's rant was interrupted by her mobile phone ringing. Looking at the screen, she saw that it was her dad, so she left the room to answer it. Oliver sighed to himself and continued to throw Jane playfully in the air, before he put her down to watch TV and started to do the same to Ben, who had been impatient of his turn for fun.

Half an hour later, Chloe returned and resumed her position on the sofa. "That was my dad."

"Is he ok?" Oliver asked. He had never met Chloe's dad, but he had heard that he was very good and kind man.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, he's fine thanks." She stopped and closed her eyes, before murmuring, "I've never told Jimmy the full story about what happened with my mother. I mean, I've given him the outline of the situation, but I've never told him the full story, nor Lois for that matter and she knew me when it all happened."

Slowly, Oliver sat down next to her with Ben in his arms, then inquired, in a quiet voice, "Well, if you've told me, why haven't you told Jimmy, your husband?" His tone was not unkind, but Chloe did understand the point which her best friend was making and she sighed. "Ollie, to be honest I told you, because I knew that you would understand, you have a history of mentall illness, so I-I felt safe telling you. With Jimmy-it isn't that I don't trust him, I worry that he won't understand. I shouldn't feel that way; he's my husband, my soul mate! He should know everything about me and my past. Does-did Felicity know about your… problems?"

"Yeah. I mean, she knew after-after my parents died, so she was with me when they started to develop." Oliver replied, in a strained voice, before shaking his head and insisting, "Look, this may seem like a strange thing for me to say, but Jimmy will come back to you. I know he will, he loves you, Chloe, more than anything." Chloe turned to face him and she smiled. Their eyes met and Chloe saw compassion in his eyes as well as something which she could not quite understand. Her analyse of Oliver's eyes was interrupted by his mobile phone ringing. It was one of his employees. After ending the conversation, he turned to Chloe and asked, "Are you going to be ok here on your own?"

His friend nodded. "I'll be fine, Ollie. Go, sort out the problem." She forced a smile, but she was also glad that she would not he completely alone, as she was with Jane and Ben. Oliver passed Ben to Chloe, grabbed his jacket and slipped his phone into his pocket. "Ok, I'll see you soon, then." He kissed the two babies on the heads, before turning to Chloe and murmuring, "Bye, Chloe. Bye." With that, he walked out of the house, locking the door behind himself. Chloe sighed and began to watch the TV, as she was too tired now to read.

Lois and Clark walked into the cinema, holding hands. "Do we know what we're here to see yet or is it a surprise?" Clark asked his wife with an amused expression.

Tilting her head slightly, Lois replied, "Hmmm.. the latter. It's more fun and we need some spontaneity in our lives, I think, Mr. Lane-Kent." They chuckled and rested their heads against each other's for a second, before returning their attention to the list of films which were showing. They ended up choosing to see a romantic comedy, but what they saw did not really matter, as they were together and having fun. Before the film began, Lois leaned closer to Clark and whispered, "Do you remember the first time we went to the cinema together?" They both chuckled and she kissed him on the check, which he received gladly and would have kissed her back had the film not started. As the film began, Lois rested her head on Clark's shoulder.

When the film ended, Clark saw that Lois had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Understand that it was because she was so tired, he woke her up, helped her to her feet and helped her walk to the car. Upon arriving at their house, even though she was now awake, he put her arms around his neck and he carried her into their house.

"You can put me down now, Smallville." Lois remarked, chuckling. Clark fixed her with a fake-stern gaze, their eyes met and they began to kiss passionately, before they were interrupted by Chloe. "Guys, your kids are asleep upstairs and, no offense, but I really do not want to see that." Embarrassed and blushing, Clark let Lois slip out of his arms and mumbled something about checking on the twins as he made his way upstairs.

"Did you have a good time?" Chloe inquired, as she began to gather her things together.

Lois smiled at her cousin. "It was great, cuz. How were the twins?" Chloe replied that they were fine, before Lois asked, "I meant to ask you this earlier, why did you ask Oliver to babysit with you? I mean, I know that he's great with Jane and Ben, but it seems as if there was more to it."

Chloe sighed and replied, "Ok, ever since I've been married to Jimmy, my friendship with Oliver has virtually been non-existent. And you know how much he means to me, he's my best friend, so I was trying to get the chance to talk to him so that he could be friends again."

"Did it work?"

"Yeah, it did," Chloe answered as she slipped on her coat, "we talked and we're fine now." She hesitated, then asked, in a slightly broken voice, "Lo, do you mind if I stay here tonight? It's just-I don't want to go home to any empty house-with no Jimmy or Nicky." Lois understood, hugged her cousin, then led her to the spare bedroom and lent her some of her pyjamas.

After checking on the twins and kissing them goodnight, Lois went into her bedroom, to find that her husband was already lying in bed, with his eyes closed. "I had a great time tonight, Lois." He whispered.

Smiling and taking off her clothes, Lois smiled back. "Me too, Smallville. It was the first time we've been alone for a long time." She slipped into her pyjamas and slipped into their bed. "I said that Chloe could stay the night."

Clark opened his eyes and asked, "Is she ok?" He knew his cousin-in-law quite well and he knew how much she meant to his wife and children.

"No, she isn't," Lois sighed, as she rolled onto her back, "she's missing Jimmy and Nicky's with him tonight, so she's missing both of them." Lowering her voice, she remarked, "She told me today that she had a one-night stand with someone, before she and Jimmy were together."

Clark stared at her, startled. "Really? That doesn't sound like Chloe!... Did she say who?"

Lois shook her head and murmured, "No, she didn't. And, I may not be right, but I'm guessing that Jimmy doesn't know, because this guy-whomever he is- was the first person with whom Chloe made love. That's quite a big thing not to tell your husband, don't you think?"

"Secrets destroy relationships and marriages, as we are well to aware." Clark remarked, seriously, before smiling playfully and turning on his side. "Now, I would prefer it if there was nothing between us too." He was trying to be serious, but failing. Lois rolled over to her side to face him and whispered, "Well, that can be arranged, my dear husband." She leaned forward and they kissed, as they whispered their love for each other and turned off the light.

In Smallville, Lana woke up and her heart broke as she saw that Lex was not lying beside her. Wrapping herself up in a dressing- gown, she walked out of the bedroom and walked around the mansion to find her and her searching finally bore fruit when she found him in the library, staring at his laptop. "What are you doing? Do you want to come back to bed?" Lana asked, as she walked over to her lover.

There was silence, then Lex shook his head and ran his hands over his wife. "I am so sorry, Lana. I should never have started this with you, I've never really be faithful to Tess when I still have you in my heart and she's my wife and I love her. But I love you too."

Lana rested her hand on top of his, as she whispered, "And I you, Lex. So why don't you leave your wife and move to Smallville with me?" There was a begging tone what she was saying.

"Lana, I can't do that, I'm sorry." Lex sighed, before continuing, "I can never see you again, I'm sorry. I have to make my marriage work and I can't do that if I'm with you, I love you too much." He finally looked up at her and realisation dawned over Lana's face. She kissed Lex on the check, then walked out of the room. As soon as she was gone, Lex rested his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes, wondering how he had become this man, the man whom he had hated his father for being, because it had hurt his mother so much. If Alexander and James ever found out, would they hate him as much as he hated his father?

A couple of hours later, as Oliver was about to enter a small food shop in the centre of Metropolis, he saw Tess sitting on the steps. Frowning, he walked over to her. "Hey. You ok? Where are the boys?"

"They're both at sleepovers." Tess replied, in a barely audible tone, before looking up and asked, "Why are you here, Oliver?"

"I wanted to check that you were ok."

Tess chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, I'm swell. My husband won't talk to me and he's in Smallville. I haven't heard from him in nearly a weak." As Oliver sat down next to her, her tone changed and she asked, "Can I be honest with you? I really regret ending our relationship, Oliver. I regret hurting you in the way I did. I regret… that you and I never made love, because we agreed to do it on our wedding night- a wedding which never came. I ended our relationship because I was in love with Lex. Did you know that?"

Oliver bit his lip as he replied, "I had my suspicions. If you loved me, why did you leave me?"

"I thought that Lex could fill the whole in my life… but he didn't." She sighed and whispered, "You know what they say? You never forget your first love." She smiled and looked down at the ground. "If I'm completely honest with myself, I loved you more than I ever loved Lex, but I was too blind to see that at the time. I am sorry."

Oliver smiled slightly, before asking in a whisper, "So, Lex in Smallville, does that fill the whole in your life?" He hesitated, before adding, "You know, Tess, I'd be lying if I told you that I never thought about us, about what could have been. Seeing you with Lex was one of the hardest things in my life and I-I can't stand the fact that he hurts you. I would never hurt you the way he does." Their eyes met and suddenly, they both leaned in closer and began to kiss passionately. Oliver moved away, breaking their kiss. "Tess, you're married. This is wrong."

Tess shook her head. "Yes, I am, but I still love you. Please, kiss me again. I know that, somewhere deep down, you still love me." Oliver smiled and resumed kissing her. Their hands intertwined and they sat their enjoying being with each other and enjoying their passion for each other. They did still love each other and they knew it in their hearts.


	6. Chapter 5: Thanksgiving

**I do not own Smallville. Read and, please, enjoy:). This is endgame Clois. What do you think should happen with Chimmy? This story is completely AU, so Tess and Lex are not related.**

 **Chapter 5: Thanksgiving.**

The sun seeped in through the curtains and made Tess aware that it was morning because of the glare of the sun. Her heart sank as she realised that Oliver was not lying in the bed next to her and she also saw that his clothes, which had been on the floor the previous night, had gone and she began to fear that he had left her. Quickly, she threw on some clothes and ran into the kitchen to find him sitting at the kitchen table, with a cup of coffee for her next to his. "Why have you made me a cup of coffee and why are you dressed?" Tess asked in a quiet voice.

Oliver sighed and replied, "Tess, I'm sorry about last night. It was a mistake and I am sorry."

"How was it a mistake? We're each other's first love and we finally admitted our love for each other. I don't see anything wrong about that!"

"It was a mistake because you're married, Tess," Oliver's tone was very stale, as if he were trying to keep a tight control over his voice, "you're married and, whilst I don't like him and think that he's a jerk, he is still your husband and you made a vow to be loyal to him and I don't want to be the one to break up your marriage." Tess sat down with tears in her eyes. She inhaled a deep breath. "Oliver, I love you more than I've ever loved Lex. Leaving you for Lex was the biggest mistake of my life and I regret it more than anything… Don't leave me now, when I need you. My marriage with Lex is falling apart around me. I need you. Please, don't leave me!"

Biting his lip, Oliver smiled slightly and murmured, "I'll always be with you, Tess, you know that… but not in that way. I'll always be there for you as a friend… but nothing else. I'm sorry."

"You made love with me and you haven't done that with Felicity! She was your girlfriend! That doesn't make sense. You love me, Oliver! You know you do!" There were tears falling down her face now, but she did not mind. "If we-if we do this again, Lex won't find out. You don't have to worry about that."

"That isn't what I'm afraid of, Tess," Oliver whispered. He took hold of her hands. "Tess, I did love and maybe I always will, and no matter how much a part of me wants this to happen, I know that it would be wrong. If you won't do it for Lex, do it for Alex and James. Think how they'd react if they discovered the truth."

Tess folded his hands in her own and looked down at them, fighting back her tears. "I always knew that your code of ethics would be the end of us. Ok, let's pretend that last night didn't happen and go on just being friends." She forced a smile, then pulled Oliver into a hug. Oliver held onto her, inhaling a deep breath, ignoring the part of his brain which was telling him that he loved Tess. Out of instinct rather than thinking about it, he whispered, "I love you."

Burying her head in his shoulders, Tess whispered back, "I love you too and I understand why you're doing what you are. I wouldn't be strong enough to do the right thing… so thank-you." There was a long silence, then they ended their embrace and Tess squeezed his hands again. "Thank-you." They both smiled slightly, before Oliver stood up, grabbed his jacket and left the house. As soon as the door was closed, Tess began to cry. Why had she chosen Lex over Oliver? She did love Lex, she knew that she did, but not as much as she loved Oliver and that broke her heart more than anything. She had married the wrong person.

A week passed and the week of Thanksgiving was soon came upon them. For once, Clark was glad that his parents and brother were away working, because he and Lois both wanted to have a quiet Thanksgiving with the twins and not have to worry about serving or providing for a large group of people. Lois's parents were visiting Lucy in Switzerland and spending Thanksgiving there. Lois and Clark agreed to invite Oliver for Thanksgiving, as he had no family with whom to spend it; they had also assumed that Chloe and Jimmy would want to be alone with Nicolas on this special day, but that had been before Chloe and Jimmy's separation. "What are we going to do about Chloe and Tess, for that matter?" Clark asked a couple of days before Thanksgiving, as he fed Jane and Ben.

Lois sighed. "Well, Chlo will probably go and spend Thanksgiving with her dad. I don't know about Tess. I mean, Lex still isn't back and it isn't as if we can ignore her and the boys in those circumstances, but on the other hand, it is our first Thanksgiving together as a family… What do you think?"

Clark took hold of her hand and looked into her eyes. "I think that as long as I'm with you and Jane and Ben, I don't mind who else is with us." They both smiled, leaned in and kissed each other. Just then, their front door opened and Chloe walked in. To her husband, Lois muttered- "Does everyone have a key to this place?" –before turning to her cousin. "Chlo, what's up? Where's Nicolas?"

Chloe sat down at the table, pulled Jane out of her highchair and put her onto her knee, looking very stressed. Lois and Clark exchanged a look and Clark stood up. "I'll leave you to it, I've got some work to do." He kissed Ben on the head and walked out of the room, throwing his wife a fleeting smile as he left. Lois wiped her son's mouth, before sitting down with him on her knee. "What's up, Chlo? You look really stressed? Has something happened with Jimmy?"

"No, but all of the train's to Smallville have been cancelled because of the snow which means that I can't go there to spend Thanksgiving with my dad," Chloe smiled at Jane before continuing, "I was really looking forward to seeing him, I haven't seen him for months and he wants to see Nicky. Jimmy's spending Thanksgiving with his grandfather and he's made it quite clear that he doesn't want to spend it with me. I just-I thought that our problems would be solved by now and we'd be back together, but we're not and I don't know what else to do. We shared a moment about a week ago, but… I don't know what to do, Lo." Tears formed in her eyes and Lois inhaled deeply, wishing that she could do something to ease her cousin's pain. "Look, I know that nothing can substitute you being with Uncle Gabe, but how about you spend Thanksgiving with us? It'll be just like when we were kids."

To her surprise, her cousin shook her head and forced a smile, "No, Lo, I can't do that to you and Clark. I know that you want to spend this time alone with Jane and Benji, so I can't ruin that. Besides, I don't think that Clark would like the idea."

"Smallville was just asking me if you could join us for Thanksgiving," stated Lois, convincing herself that she was not lying, but bending the truth, "you're family, he'd love you have you with us. Besides, Oliver's joining us, so what's the harm in one more, right?"

Chloe frowned and asked, "Why's Oliver joining you?"

Lois kissed Ben's head and smiled at him, "Well, he doesn't have any family, does he? And he and Smallville have been friends for years, so it only seems right. Besides, I think he's still depressed about Felicity leaving and who wouldn't be? I still can't believe that she left, but…that's how some things work out, I guess." She smiled and added, "You and Oliver are good friends, you always have been, so having you and Nicky with us won't be a problem at all."

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Tess, followed by Alexander and James. The two boys ran over to their adoptive cousins, so Lois and Chloe placed the babies on their play-mat so that the four children could play before turning their attention back to Tess. "What's up, Tess?" Lois inquired, even though she was sure what the problem was.

Glancing over at her sons, Tess replied in a low voice, "Lex still isn't back. I've called and texted him and had no response. And it's Thanksgiving, the boys are going to notice if he isn't here, they'll get upset and I can't face that. Lex can't keep running away from me, he has to face this."

"It's a good job I'm here then, isn't it?" Lex's voice came from behind them and Tess turned around and saw him. At that same moment. Clark walked into the room and Alexander and James saw their father and cried, "Daddy, Daddy!" They ran over to him and Lex picked up both of them, before turning his attention to his wife. He walked over to her and they threw their arms around each other, enjoying being in each other's arms once again, despite their transgressions over the recent weeks. "I'm so glad you're home, Lex." Tess whispered into his ear so that only he could hear. He looked up and Lois and Chloe. Their greeting was not so pleasant and from the look in their eyes, he knew that they knew what he had been doing in Smallville. He also knew that, if Lois knew, Clark would also know sooner or later.

The 'happy reunion scene' was interrupted when Oliver walked in and signalled to Chloe that he wanted to talk to her, so she walked past Tess and Lex and followed him outside. "What is it, Oliver?"

Sitting down on Lois and Clark's front wall, her friend answered, "I heard about the trains being cancelled from Smallville to Metropolis, so I've arranged for a Queen Industries jet to pick up your dad and bring him here for Thanksgiving. It solves one of your problems, right?" He smiled, slightly, watching her, waiting for a response. A faint smile came across Chloe's lips and her eyes narrowed, as she asked, "Why are you doing this, Ollie? I mean, I really appreciate it, but why?"

"I'm doing it because you're my best friend," Oliver paused, before adding, "And I know that, were my parents still alive, that I would want to spend Thanksgiving with them and I don't think that anyone should be deprived of their parents." He stood up slowly and kissed Chloe on the head, before walking away. Chloe smiled to herself, before returning inside where Clark and Lex were talking.

When Lois gave her a questioning look as she was holding Jane, Chloe explained, "Oliver's sent a jet to pick my dad up and bring him here for Thanksgiving, so that solves one of my problems-his words, not mine." Lois smiled and raised her eyebrows, as she remarked, "Hmmm..if I didn't know any better, I'd say that Oliver Queen has a crush on you, Chlo."

Chloe shook her head. "Lo, Ollie and I are best friends, nothing more, nothing less. Besides, my heart belongs to Jimmy."

"I didn't ask that." Lois retorted in barley a whisper. She fixed Chloe with the 'Lois stare' under which her cousin did not flinch or crack, before taking Jane up to be changed. As soon as she was gone, Chloe inhaled a deep breath, shaking her head; Lois was seeing something which was not there. Jimmy was the man whom she loved, her husband, and Ollie was her best friend-the two had their distinctive places. They were both very important in her life, but they were separate from the other.

Clark led Lex into the living room and Alexander and James followed, not wanting to be separated from their father again. Tess lingered in the doorway for a while, before deciding to help Lois with changing Jane.

Alexander climbed onto his father's knee and James onto his adoptive-uncle's and the two men chuckled at the excitement of the two boys. "So, what are your plans for Thanksgiving?" Lex inquired.

"Well, Oliver and Chloe are coming over for dinner." Clark paused, before asking, "What about you and Tess?"

"We'll probably have a quiet time at home with the boys." Lex replied, smiling at his sons, before telling them to go and play. The two boys jumped down from the sofa. As soon as they were back in the kitchen, Clark asked, "Why were you away in Smallville for so long?" There was no hint of anything in his voice and Lex knew that there would be if Lois had spoken to him, so he was grateful for that.

He sighed, as he replied in a quiet voice, "I couldn't face Tess, Clark. I couldn't look her in the eye. I love her more than anything, but things haven't been easy between the two of us lately. Can you understand that?" Clark just sighed and shook his head in reply; there was still a part of him which wanted to tell Tess about Lex's infidelity, but despite that, he could also see how much Tess and Lex loved each other and he knew that she would be devastated if she ever discovered the truth and there would be damage to Alexander and James. Clark did not want to feel responsible for causing his sister and nephews so much pain.

Tess and Lex left with the boys before lunch and Chloe agreed to help Lois and Clark out with lunch, as Nicolas was spending the morning with Jimmy. As Lois and Clark prepared lunch, she entertained the twins on their play mat. "You know what, I think that Lex has turning over a new left," Clark remarked, "I think that time in Smallville and time away from Tess has helped him to clear his head and reliises that he's been an idiot about cheating on her." Lois and Chloe exchanged a look, before Chloe carried the twins into the sitting room to give her cousin and her husband some privacy.

Sorting out the food, Lois began, "Smallville, I know you're naïve, but come on. Do you honestly believe that? What do you think Lex was really doing in Smallville?" She paused for a couple of seconds, before continuing, "Chloe follows Lana o Facebook, Clark and guess where she was for these past weeks? Smallville."

Realisation suddenly dawned over Clark's face and he suddenly hissed, "I'm going to kill him." He made his way to the kitchen door, but Lois ran there and stood in the doorframe, pleading with him. "Clark, I understand how angry you are, but you cannot do anything to him nor tell her!"

"Why did you tell me then? She's my sister, Lois! It's my duty to protect her!"

Lois raised her hands slightly. "I know, I understand. I told you because I thought that you should know everything about Lex Luthor. But you cannot tell her."

Clark glared at his wife. He was not angry with her, but with the situation, "And why can't I tell her, Lois? She has a right to know! She's married to him, for goodness sake! I cannot believe that he would do this- again!"

"Smallville, it would crush her. She would be devastated-beyond that. For a reason which I cannot comprehend, she loves him. I agree that she should know, but Lex has to be the one to tell her. It's only right. If he wants to continue to be a lying, cheating jerk at some point, she will work it out, I'm sure, and then she can make a decision." There was a silence, then Clark murmured, "He always tells me he loves her and yet he cheats on her. It doesn't make any sense, Lois."

Smiling and taking hold of his hands, Lois replied, "Adult relationships rarely make sense, Clark. I mean, look at Chloe and Jimmy. They love each other with all their hearts and yet, they're apart. Why? It makes no sense. And personally, I think there is the potential for something between Chloe and Oliver, but… that's another story."

Clark stared at his wife and smiled slightly. "What makes you think that?" Lois looked over her shoulder to ensure that Chloe was not within hearing distance, then led Clark over to the kitchen table. "It's what my gut is telling me, Smallville. I can't explain it. I just suspect something, that's all. I think that… if she weren't with Jimmy, she would be with Oliver. And it isn't too far of a stretch considering that he was in love with her not that long ago." Clark smiled, sat down and pulled his wife onto his knee, with their faces inches apart. "Is there anything you can't do?" Lois chuckled and replied, "Not really." They kissed, then Clark returned to preparing lunch and Lois went into the sitting room to play with Ben and Jane.

When Tess and Lex arrived home, Alexander and James ran up to their playroom, leaving Tess and Lex alone. The couple walked together into the living room and Lex sat down, whilst Tess stood by the fireplace. She could not bring herself to look at her husband in the eye, after her one-night stand with Oliver and declaring that she loved him more than the latter. "So, do you have any ideas for Thanksgiving?" Lex inquired, after sitting in silence at great length.

Tess kept her hands on the fireplace, pretending to be pre-occupied with the fire and the wood. "I was thinking that maybe we could go to my mother's. She hasn't seen the boys for a while and my Mum and Dad are away…But if you don't want to do that"-

"No, that sounds prefect." Lex was concerned about why his wife was not looking at him in the eye.

"Lex, I-I am guilty for something which I deeply, deeply regret and I want you to know how sorry I am," Tess turned around to face him and there were tears in her eyes, "my transgression was that-that I questioned my love for you, the love you have for me-our entire relationship. Questioning why I left Oliver for you and I am sorry. It was wrong of me to have those doubts, Lex. I deeply regret those feelings I've had since you've been away." She knew herself that she was not lying, she was wording it in a way so that she did not confess completely, as she did not know how he would react if he discovered the entire truth.

There was a silence, then Lex walked over to her and rested his hands on her arms. "Tess, I too am guilty for those feelings and transgressions. I questioned your love for me and I am truly sorry. I believed that you loved the boys more than me. That insecurity comes from how my father treated my mother. When they looked at each other, there was no love, but resentment and hatred." He swallowed, before continuing, "I promise, Tess, I will never let that happen to us. I gave you my word and I will stick by it. I love you, Lutessa. You're the only woman I can ever imagine spending my life with." With that, he leaned in and kissed her gently and she kissed him back, before their kiss ended and they embraced each other in a hug. As soon as their faces were no longer visible to the other, the guilt swelled onto their faces and they held onto each other. They knew that if the other ever discovered their secret-that Lex had had affairs and that Tess loved Oliver more than him-their marriage and relationship would be over and they did not want to face that… At least not yet.

A couple of days later, Lois and Clark took Ben and Jane to the park after work and Chloe and Jimmy also brought Nicolas. Oliver also went alone, as he wanted to spend some time with his godchildren and his friends. Chloe and Jimmy were being very friendly to each other and they were both hoping that they would soon be able to build back their bridges and live together as husband and wife once more with their baby, but neither of them dared to express their feelings out load. Tess approached them and asked to speak to Oliver in private. He kissed Ben and Jane on the head, before following her behind a shed.

"I-I kind of told Lex. In code about… what we did." Tess whispered, as she did not want to be overheard. "I just-I want you to know that, I really regret leaving you for Lex. If I could live my life again, have a second chance, I would do it all differently. I just want you to know that. But as it is, we're just friends and I have to accept that." She walked past him, but Oliver called her back and she walked back into the shadow of the bike shed. Oliver put his hands on her arms in a comforting way, "Tess, I am sorry. I did love you. You were the first person I let in after my parents died." He paused, before murmuring, "In another life, you and I would be together, Tess. Just not in this one." There was a silence, then they began to move their faces closer together, so close that they would feel the other's breath. Looking into each other's eyes, they kissed passionately, savouring it as they had done with their first kiss and their last kiss was just as passionate. The kiss ended and they held each other for a while, before Oliver smiled slightly and walked away. As soon as he was gone, Tess wiped away her tears and whispered, "I love you, Oliver. I always will."

On the other side of the shed, Oliver rested his head on the shed, breathing in and out slowly. What he and Tess had done had been wrong, but he had loved her. He sighed to himself, then left the park and made his way home.

Meanwhile, Chloe ran over to where Nicolas was playing and picked him up to make him laugh, which he did do and it made her heart warm with joy. Upon looking at her son, she could see both herself and Jimmy and that made her so happy. From where he was sitting with Lois and Clark Jimmy was watching and he murmured, "Wow, I love her!" He did not intend for Lois or Clark to hear. They both did, but continued to play with their twins as if they had not heard anything. Their thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a woman whom none of them had seen since Lois and Clark's wedding.

Clark stood up and walked over to his cousin. "Kara, what are you doing here?" He embraced her into a hug. Over his shoulder, Kara met Jimmy's eyes and the two of them stiffened. Feeling her uneasiness, Clark released her and asked, "Kara, what's wrong?" As children, they had always been very close and he did worry about her.

"Nothing. I've moved to Metropolis so I thought I'd come and say hello." She walked over to Lois and pulled her into a hug. Lois threw her husband a confused look and glanced at Jimmy, as she had seen the exchange between her cousin-in-law and her cousin's husband. Kara smiled at her and asked, "Who are these guys?" She picked up Ben and held him in a rather precarious fashion. Lois, who had Jane in her arms, threw Clark a look, so he smiled and took Ben from Kara's arms. "This is Ben and that's Jane. Lane-Kent, obviously"

Kara stared at Lois and asked, "You changed your name? Wow, I thought you were a feminist, Lois. I guess I was wrong."

Before Lois could reply, Clark asked, "So, Kara,er, what brings you into town?" He had not seen his cousin for five years, so he was curious as to why she was here now. He was very confused about her not knowing the names of his children, considering that he had told her after their birth.

Kara smiled and answered, "I got a new job here in photographer. I'm really excited!" Her eyes met Jimmy's again and, once again, they both froze and Kara felt a stab of physical pain as she saw the wedding ring on Jimmy's finger. "Do you two know each other?" Lois inquired curious to find out what the story behind all of these looks were, but Clark gave her a look and indicated to her that they should leave. Rolling her eyes, Lois obliged and carried Jane to another part of the park.

Jimmy and Kara stood in silence for a while, then Kara asked, "So… how long have you been married?"

"A year. My wife and I have a son together. His name's Nicolas." Jimmy answered, in an uncharacteristic tight voice.

"Nicolas, after your grandfather?" Kara asked. She smiled awkwardly, then remarked, "I always knew that you would be a good family man, James." Her memories were cut short when Chloe walked over to them, with Nicolas in her arms. She looked between her husband and Kara, then held her hand out to her. "I'm Chloe Sullivan. Have we met before?"

Nodding, Kara replied, "Yeah, we have. I'm Clark's cousin, Kara Kent." There was a tone in her voice which made Jimmy feel sick and he knew that Chloe would not care for it. With the mention of her name, Chloe raised her eyebrows and remarked, "Oh, as in _that Kara_?"

Kara looked at her as if she were mad and demanded, "And what do you mean, _that Kara_? Who are you anyway?"

"She's my wife! Don't talk to her like that!" Jimmy snapped, throwing her a look. Chloe turned around to face him and she smiled slightly. Their eyes connected for a couple of seconds, before she turned back to Kara and replied, in an equally sharp tone, "What I meant was that you're Jimmy's ex-fiancée, aren't you? His ex from his university course?" Their eyes met and Kara's eyes showed nothing but hate and contempt for the woman standing across from her. Glaring at Chloe, she hissed, "You have a beautiful baby. You do know who he's named after, don't you?"

Chloe glared at her and was about to reply, when Nicolas began to cry, indicating that he needed his nappy to be changed. Rolling her eyes at the situation rather than her son, she turned to her sort-of-husband and said, "I'm going to take him home and change him. Will you be ok?" she asked in last bit in a quiet voice and her eyes conveyed understand; Jimmy had told her about Kara and who she was, so she was not intimated by the other woman in any way.

Jimmy smiled slightly and nodded, passing her Nicolas's baby-bag and kissing his son on the head, before Chloe placed him in the pram and walked away. As soon as Chloe was gone, Jimmy began, "You have no right to talk to my wife like that!"

"I have every right; I'm your first and true love!" Kara snapped, her eyes were fiery with anger.

Sadly, Jimmy shook his head. "No, you're not. Chloe is my true love. Just because somebody's your first love, it doesn't mean they're the love of your life. You should know that better than anyone-especially after what you did!"

"James, I was drunk!"

"Being drunk doesn't give you an excuse to make love with someone else, epically when you're engage to someone else and when you haven't even made love with your fiancée!" Jimmy glared at her. "Why do you think I left? I couldn't stand to be around you anymore-not after what you did to me!" He paused, then asked, "Did you even love me?"

Kara sighed and nodded. "Yes, I did, James. More than anything and I always will." Jimmy rolled his eyes and began to walk past her, but she asked, "Does your wife know? I mean, does she know everything?"

Jimmy stopped walking and rolled his eyes. "Yes, Chloe knows everything. She's my wife and I trust her, in a way I could never trust you again."

"You loved me! I know you did! Why can you not trust me?"

Jimmy turned around and looked her in the eyes as he murmured, "Because you broke my heart, Kara." With that, he turned his back on her and walked away. As soon as he was out of her sight, he texted Chloe, asking where she was. She replied and he made his way there.

"So, who is this Kara?" Lois asked her cousin. "I mean, I know who she is-I mean, what's her deal with Jimmy?" They were sitting in Oliver's apartment waiting for Jimmy. Clark rolled his eyes and inwardly wished that Lois was not always so eager for knowledge. Chloe smiled slightly and sat down, with Nicolas on her lap. "I don't want to tell you, because it's Jimmy's past to tell, so I don't want to break his trust."

Lois pouted and began to jiggle Ben around on her knee, making him smile. "There's no secret, Chloe," Jimmy walked into the sitting room, "I'm surprised that you don't know, Clark, but Kara and I were engaged to be married, before I was with Chloe."

"When did you meet?" Oliver inquired, in a careful voice.

"We met at university, we were on the same course. We began dating and two years later, I proposed and she accepted. A couple of months before we graduated, a year later, Kara was at a party, she got drunk and she-she had sex with a guy at the party and he told me about it the next day. So I broke up with her. End of story." Jimmy sighed, then added, "I haven't seen her since, so that's why our meeting today was a bit…weird."

There was a silence, then Chloe turned to Clark and asked, "How come you haven't seen her for five years, since you and Lois married?"

Clark glanced at Lois. "It's complicated. Our parents fell out, Kara was forced to take sides and she took the side of her father. He and my dad don't speak anymore. I'm guessing one of the reasons she's moved here is to be near me, to try to mend our relationship. We were very close when we were kids." He sighed and rocked Jane about on his knee. "She wasn't even there when the twins were born. Her father really does control her life-or at least, he did until she moved here."

The door opened and one of Oliver's butlers walked in, clearing his throat. "Mr. Queen, there's a young woman here to see you, sir."

Oliver frowned and asked, "Who is it?"

"Felicity Lance, sir."

Oliver felt as if his heart had stopped. He was silent for a couple of moments, before clearing his throat and asking for her to be let it. As his butler left, he turned to face the wall and his friends could see the conflicting feelings of pain, joy, happiness and loneliness came across his face. If Felicity had a job in London, why was she in Metropolis? Why had she gone to see Oliver? Before he could ask them to do so, his friends left the apartment. At the door, Chloe stopped and threw her friend a reassuring smile, which he received with a small smile and a nod, before returning his attention to the issue in hand: Felicity. He knew that he loved her, but he thought that she did not love him, that was why she had moved to London. So why was she there?

The door opened and Felicity walked in. The two of them froze where they were standing for a couple of seconds, then Felicity fiddled with her glasses on her nose, before Oliver asked, "Why are you here? I thought you had a job in London?"

Felicity sighed and replied, "The job was moved to Metropolis, so I accepted it and moved back here. I can even get my apartment back." She smiled, then asked, "How have you been?"

Oliver walked over to her. "You told me that you didn't love me. Is that still true?" His voice was in barley a whisper, but Felicity heard him and her heart broke as she thought about what to say. She stood there in silence for a while, before remarking in a similar tone, "Oliver, I want things to be normal between us. I don't want to lose you just because we aren't together anymore. I want us to be friends, like we were before we started dating. Can we do that-can you do that?"

"That doesn't answer my question, Felicity." Oliver murmured, before shaking his head. "I mean, yeah, sure. We can be friends and forget about…. Everything else. Just pretend that we were never more than friends, right?" Felicity nodded and forced a smile, before walking away. Outside of Oliver's office, she rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes. She knew that she did love him, but she did not want to be his second choice, as she knew she had been when they had been together. She knew that lying to him about her love for him was the only way for him to let go, so that she could move on. Move on with her life, as she knew she had to do, despite her heart telling her that this was the wrong thing to do and that to be honest with him would be the best thing. She had to do this for her own sake as well as Oliver's.

The day of Thanksgiving arrived. Lex and Tess drove down to stay with Tess's mother with Alexander and James and Chloe's dad caught the jet which Oliver had provided for him. Jimmy went to his grandfather's, after kissing his son goodbye. On the morning of Thanksgiving, Oliver was babysitting Jane and Ben whilst Lois and Clark were doing some last-minute shopping. Felicity had gone to Star City to spend the weekend with her parents and Oliver was glad, as her being at Lois and Clark's would have been too painful.

There was a knock on the door and Kara walked into the kitchen. Her eyes fixed on Oliver, then she said, "I don't remember you. Why are you babysitting my cousin's babies?" Unsure if she was being genuine or manipulative, Oliver juggled Ben in his arm and held out his hand to her. "I'm Oliver Queen. I was Clark's roommate when we were at Yale."

"Oliver Queen… I'm guessing Thanksgiving must be a hard time for you." Kara remarked, in a serious yet compassionate voice which Oliver had not expected after everything Jimmy and Chloe had told him. When he made no reply, she sighed and stated, "I'm not a monster, you know, despite what my ex-fiancée may have told you. I made a mistake, one which I regret more than anything in my life. I love Jimmy and I always will. And I lost Clark's support after my father fell out with Uncle Johnathan. I hate my father. I really hate him. I know that you, of all people, won't understand that, but I do. I hate that he's torn this family apart and it was because of him that I got drunk, the night when I cheated on Jimmy. It was because of him that my life's over."

Oliver bit his lip and tried to offer a supportive smile. "Kara, just because you're not with Jimmy anymore, it doesn't mean that your life is over. I mean, my girlfriend broke up with my recently and I was heartbroken, but my life isn't over and nor is yours."

Shaking her head, Kara sighed. "You don't understand. Jimmy was my soul mate, my entire world. Without him I am nothing! You must know what it's like to love someone like that."

"Once," Oliver replied in a hollow voice, "I've only ever loved someone like that once in my life." Their eyes met and they reached an unspoken understand of each other, before Kara smiled slightly and walked out of the house.

Oliver shook his head at his judgments of Kara, as he laid Ben down on the floor and began to entertain him and his twin sister with some of their toys. "You really enjoy that, don't you?" He looked up and saw Chloe with Nicolas in his arms.

Smiling, Oliver stood up. "Chloe, hey. What brings you here so early?"

Chloe kissed Nicolas on the head and replied, "Well, I wanted you to meet my dad. I mean, it's because of you that he's here, so thanks." The door opened and Chloe's dad, Gabe Sullivan, walked into the kitchen.

"You must be Oliver Queen. I hear that it's because of you that I'm here, with my daughter and grandson."

Oliver held out his hand and smiled. "It's an honour, Mr. Sullivan. I'm just glad that I could help." Gabe shook his hand and smiled, but there was a look in his eyes which made Oliver feel uncomfortable, as if he were surveying him… the way Sam Lane looked at Clark.

Sensing Oliver's awkwardness, Chloe asked, "Dad, how about we go home and freshen up?" She passed her son to her dad, who gave Oliver one last look before leaving the room. Chloe turned to her friend and smiled, "Thank-you, Ollie. I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you for this kindness."

Oliver smiled back and looked down at his feet. "Well, I'm glad that I've helped. Sadly, I can't bring Jimmy back to you, but I'm sure that he'll be back soon." He hesitated, then whispered, "He really loves you, Chloe, and… he'd be a fool to let you go." He looked up and saw that Chloe's eyes were full of tears. Without saying a word, Chloe stood on her toes and kissed Oliver on the check, before saying goodbye to Jane and Ben and leaving the room.

Hours later, Lois was beginning to become insanely stressed about the dinner. Clark walked into the kitchen and grabbed her, looking her in the eyes. "Lois, look at me. Everything is going to be fine. I meant what I said before: all that matters to me is that I'm with you and the twins. I love you, Lois." Lois smiled and the stress disappeared from her face. "I love you too, Smallville. I don't know how I got so lucky." They rested their heads together for a while in silence before continuing with the cooking together. They really were a team, a partnership.

As dinner began, Jane, Ben and Nicolas were placed into their highchairs near their parents or parents, so they could keep an eye on them, before dinner officially began. Chloe's felt her mobile phone buzz on the table. She looked at the screen and saw that the text was from Jimmy. It simply read: 'Have a great dinner, you and Nicky. I miss you .' Smiling, Chloe quickly unlocked the screen and replied: 'Thanks. Have a good time too. See you soon"- she paused deliberating whether to put kisses or a smiley face, so she settled with one of each before locking her mobile phone again. Her eyes caught her cousin's, who had witnessed the entire exchange and, much to her surprise, Lois smiled before returning to feeding Ben.

Oliver had also noticed and Clark saw him look uncomfortable. He exchanged a look with Lois, before making a speech, declaring that he was most thankful for his family: his parents, brother, sister, cousin, wife and children. In his head, the former and the latters on the list were the most important and, as he looked into Lois's eyes, he knew that there was no need to say it aloud, because she knew. She had always known.


	7. Chapter 6: Heart & head of the past

**I do not own Smallville. Please, read and enjoy:). Let me know what you want to happen in terms of the relationships.**

 **Chapter 6: Heart & head of past.**

A couple of weeks later, Lois was sitting in the kitchen, feeding Jane and Ben, thinking. When Clark walked into the kitchen, she asked, "Smallville, how are we doing, money-wise?" She had been wanting to ask the question for a while, but had been wondering how to word it so that it did not sound odd. One of her colleges who had had a baby at the same time as Lois had recently returned to work and Lois was beginning to wonder if she should do the same thing, but she did have twins which made it different.

"We're fine, I earn quite and bit and we saved before the twins were born, that's why we had quite a small wedding." Clark paused, then turned to his wife and asked, "Are you thinking of returning to work?" The look in his wife's eyes was the conformation he needed. "Look, Lois, I don't mind what you do. As long as you do what makes you happy, that's what matters."

|Lois looked at her twins who were happily eating, then said, "I'd like to go into work-I haven't seen anyone since I left and… I want to catch up."

Clark smiled and kissed her on the head. "Sure, whatever suits you. You know, I hear there's a job open at the _Daily Planet_. Wasn't it once your dream to work there?"

"Yeah, before I married you and had the twins," Lois replied in a slightly annoyed voice. She sighed, then reached out for Clark's hand. "I'm sorry, that sounded really harsh. I love my life as it is, you know that and I don't have to go back to work, but it's something which I might explore."

Squeezing her hands, Clark murmured, "Lois, whatever you do, I'll support you. I'm not one of these husbands who forces his wife into what he thinks she wants and not what she really wants. I trust your judgment and I love for loads of those qualities." Smiling, Lois leaned in closer and they kissed. Then, Clark kissed Jane and Ben goodbye, kissed Lois goodbye and left for work.

About an hour later, Lois pushed the pushchair into her old work-place and inhaled a deep breath; she was unsure if anyone exactly wanted to see her or the babies, but she was determined to see anyway. Her thoughts were interrupted when her former co-writer, Cat Grant, walked over to her. "Lois! How nice to see you!" She embraced Lois in a hug. Lois had never especially likes Cat, because their personalities clashed, but she did also know that Cat did like and look up to her. "Who are these little guys?" Cat asked, indicating Jane and Ben. She had a son, so Lois knew that she was genuinely interested in the twins.

"They're named Jane and Benjamin-Ben for short," Lois smiled with pride as she introduced her babies, before asking, "Would you like to hold one of them? How's your son?"

Cat picked Ben out of the pram and held him in her arms, smiling. "My son's fine, thanks." She hesitated. "Lois, not that it isn't great to see you here, because it isn't, but why are you here?"

Lois looked down at her daughter who was asleep in the pram, then asked, "Erm-is that anyone working at my desk?"

"There is now, but I hear that there's an opening at the _Daily Planet_. You're a good writer, Lois. If you really want this, you shouldn't give up." Cat placed Ben back into the pram, then walked away, leaving Lois wondering what she should do next. Sighing, she strapped Ben back into the pram, then called Chloe, who was not at work, asking her if she could watch the twins for a while, but she did not tell her why.

After dropping Jane and Ben at Chloe's, Lois made her way to the _Daily Planet_. Inhaling a deep breath, she smiled to herself, reminding herself that she was Clark's life and Ben and Jane's mum before she walked inside. Those thoughts always helped to calm her.

Meanwhile, Oliver arrived in his office after meeting up with a client. He sat down at his desk, as he realised that he was not alone in the office. Internally rolling his eyes, he asked, "Who's there? If you don't reveal yourself, I'll call security." There was the sound of movement, then Kara Kent emerged from behind the door. She looked very pale and embarrassed.

"Are you ok?" asked Oliver, trying to mask the disappointment in his voice, as he had hoped it to be Felicity. He had not seen her since she had returned, when she had told him that she no longer loved him and that she just wanted to be friends. He had hoped that it had been Felicity so that the two of them could talk, but she obviously was not interested in discussing their relationship. He forced a smile and focused his attention on Kara.

Kara smiled back and began, "I just wanted to thank you, Oliver, for being so nice to me. You and Clark have been the only people who have… treated me nicely, for want of a better word. I guess I deserve it for what I to Jimmy, but it still hurts, you know." She paused, then continued, "Anyway, I was wondering if, maybe, I could take you out to dinner this evening, to say thankyou?"

Oliver stared at her in shock, before finally asking, "Do you mean as friends...or as something else?"

Blushing, Kara replied, "I really like you. I know I'm probably not you're type, but I do like you, so, if that's what you want, then yes. Is that what you want, to be more than friends?"

There was a silence as Oliver thought about what to do. He knew that he still loved Felicity, but she had made it very clear that she no longer had those feelings for him, so why wait around for something which was never going to happen? "Yeah, I do. I'll pick you up at 6." A smile spread across Kara's face. She nodded and walked away, looking back. As soon as she was gone, Oliver sat down and wondered if he was doing this for the right reason or not.

That evening, when Clark returned from work, Lois walked over to him very excited. "You will never guess what, Smallville. I got a part-time job at the Daily Planet. On the days I'm working, we'll put the twins in nursery. How does that sound?"

"It sounds amazing, Lois. I'm so proud of you." Clark smiled and confessed, "I must say I was worried about you being here all day, with Jane and Ben. I thought you'd go insane." He saw Lois's smile slip slightly and quickly added, "Not that I think there's anything wrong with being a stay-at-home mother, because I don't and I know that if you decide to do that again, I'd support you. As long as we do that's right for you and kids, that's great." Lois's smile fully returned and they hugged each other, before Lois returned to feeding Jane and Ben.

The door opened and Chloe walked in, looking very angry. "Clark, can I have a word please?" She indicated her head towards the sitting room. Clark frowned, confused, but followed her in, wondering what she wanted and also if her anger was directed at him or something he had done.

Once inside, Chloe slammed the door shut and hissed, "I hear Lois has gone back to work. Please tell me that you didn't pressure her into that, Clark, because if you have"-

"You know Lois-she would never be persuaded into doing anything, especially not by me!"

Chloe shook her head. "How naïve are you, Clark? She would do anything for you and the twins! She's happy staying at home with them, or at least she was until you filled her head with all of this junk!"

Very confused, Clark confessed, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Clark, you already felt pushed out by the twins, for goodness sake. How are you going to feel now Lois's back at work, because believe me, she'll have even less time for you then! She struggles to cope with everything without working! I know that you probably prefer to see her in a 'proper job', but looking after the twins is a real job for her and you shouldn't be suggesting that she do anything else until they're older!"

"Chloe, you went back to work soon after Nicolas was born!" Clark snapped, now becoming very frustrated. "Look, going back to work was Lois's idea. She was the one who brought it up this morning, not me! If she wants to go back to work, that's her decision. She's her own, independent woman. Besides, this really isn't any of your business!"

Shaking her head, Chloe replied, in a harsh voice, "She's my cousin, Clark! I love her like a sister. It's my job to protect and look out for her!"

"No, it isn't your job. It's mine, I'm her husband and best friend!" Clark paused, then continued, "That's what this is really about, isn't it? When you and Lois were kids, you were equals, but you don't think that you are anymore and that's why you're so angry. That's why you've never liked me, isn't it? You want what she has-you always have- a stable family, a loving husband. You want what she has, Chloe. I know you do and that's why you're acting like this."

"You honestly think that I would rather be married you than Jimmy?" Chloe asked with distain in both her eyes than voice.

"No, but I think you crave the happy marriage which Lois and I have. And you settled for Jimmy, Chloe, we all know it. We all know that he isn't the one you're destined to be with and that scares you. I think you know who you're destined to be with, deep down. You just won't admit it." There was a long silence and Clark knew that he had crossed the line with his wife's cousin. Without saying a word, Chloe glared at him and walked out of the door. Lois heard her come out of the room, carrying Jane. "Chloe, are you ok? What was that about?" Her cousin gave her a look, telling her that she would call her later and ran out of the house, fighting back her tears.

Lois walked into the sitting room where Clark was still standing, looking very guilty. She passed Jane to him and asked, in a gentle voice, "What happened, Smallville?"

Sitting down, Clark sighed. "I said things I shouldn't have said. We were arguing about you going back to work and I said some things- a lot of things- I shouldn't have said and I feel terrible."

Biting her lip, Lois folded her arms. "What did you say to her?" When Clark shook his head, she sat down next to him and repeated the question, looking into his eyes.

"I said that she was jealous of you, of what you had. I said that..she wanted the relationship you and I have and that-that she settled for Jimmy and that he isn't the one for her. I know I shouldn't have said those things and I feel terrible. They've been bubbling under for a while, I guess." He looked into his wife's eyes and he could tell that she was angry with him, but instead she said, "Find Chloe and apologise tomorrow. I'm not getting in the middle of this. You're two of them most important people in my life, you have to make this work, Smallville." She kissed him on the check, then walked back into the kitchen to check on Ben who was asleep in his cot.

Clark's guilty thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. It was Oliver and Kara and they were holding hands. Clark invited them in, very confused and led them into the sitting room. Lois joined them with Ben in her arms. She saw their linked hands and asked, "When did that happen?"

Kara chuckled. "It just happened. We went for a meal together. One thing led to another and we kissed. We've agreed to go on another date as well. Do you mind if I use the bathroom?" She kissed Oliver on the check, which he received with a smile, before standing up and going up stairs.

As soon as the bathroom door was closed, Clark turned to his friend, "Oliver, what are you doing?"

Oliver ran his hands through his hair, as he answered, "Clark, I really like her, ok? And she really likes me. What's the big deal?"

Clark glanced at Lois, whom he knew was thinking the same as him. In a careful voice, he asked, "Does this have anything to do with Felicity telling you she doesn't love you anymore?"

"Clark, Felicity and I are finished! It is never going to happen again, ever and I have to move on without her by my side! Just like nothing is ever going to happen between Chloe and I! I have to move on with my life, Clark! I know you won't understand that, because you're with the only woman you've ever loved, but we can't all be so lucky!" Oliver bowed his head and sighed. "Clark, you're right, I am still in love with Felicity, but she doesn't feel the same way about me anymore, so I can't wait around for her, can I? There would be no point in that!"

There was a silence and Jane reached out for Oliver's hand. Smiling slightly, he held her hand and smiled down at the baby, but from where Lois was sitting, Lois could see how unhappy he looked. The doorbell rang again and Lois left the living room to answer it. It was Felicity and she asked if she asked Lois if she knew where Oliver was, because she wanted to speak to him. Lois hesitated, before replying, "He's here…with Kara." Felicity started at her in confusion, then realisation dawned over her face and her eyes began to well up with tears. "I'll go, then. Lois, don't tell him I was here." She walked away. Lois called after her, but she refused to go back.

As Felicity made her way home, she was cursing herself for letting Oliver go, because knowing that he was with someone else was the most painful feeling she had ever felt and it was all because of what she had said to him.

The next morning, at 6:00, whilst Lois and Clark were feeding Jane and Ben and having their own breakfast, Oliver walked in and offered to feed Jane and Ben for them, so that they could eat enough breakfast themselves. The hungry parents agreed happily, so Oliver sat down and began to feed the twins, grinning at them. As they began to eat themselves, Clark whispered so that Oliver would not hear, "I'll go and find Chloe today and apologise." Lois just nodded and he knew that she was not happy about what he had said to Chloe.

Before Oliver could ask Clark what he was whispering about, there was a knock on the door. Lois rolled her eyes and muttered, "Why does everyone turn up at ridiculous hours of the day?" She was very nervous about her first proper day at the Daily Planet, so Clark was being very careful not to say anything which would upset or annoy her. On the other side of the door was a young man whom Lois had never seen before in her entire life. "Yes, who can I help you?"

In the kitchen, Clark rolled his eyes and Oliver sniggered, before going to the door to save this young man from his wife's wrath. At the door, however, he saw that he recognised the man and asked, "What's your name and how is it that I know you?"

"I'm Barry Allen. We went to Yale together, about nine years ago. I remember you, if that's any consolation." Barry looked far younger than he was, but he always had, as far as Lois and Clark were concerned. He had been good friends with Clark and Oliver during their Yale years, but they had lost touch after gradation. Clark invited his old friend into their house and asked, "So, how are you, Barry? What have you been up to these past years?" He and Lois led Barry into the kitchen.

Barry sat down and replied, "Not much, Clark. Not as much as you two. I always knew that you too would end up together. What are the babies' names? Hi Oliver, by the way." He added, smiling at Oliver, with whom he had been close at university.

Lois smiled and picked up Ben as Oliver had finished feeding him. "He's Ben Lane-Kent and that's Jane Lane-Kent. Would you like to hold him?" Barry nodded and the baby boy was passed into his arms and he instantly seemed to be very comfortable there. "How's Iris, Barry? What's she up to now?" Lois and Iris had also been friends at Yale and Lois really regretted losing touch with her. Barry and Iris had dated whilst at Yale.

Barry's smile instantly fell and he looked down at Ben to have something on which to concentrate. He cleared his throat, then replied, in a very tight voice, "She-er-she died a couple of years ago. We were married and had a baby… and she died."

"I'm so sorry." Lois, Clark and Oliver said in unison. There was a silence, then Oliver asked, "How old is your baby?"

Still looking down at Ben, Barry replied in a whisper. "She-er-she's four now. She's named Callie, after Iris's mother. She really would love Jane and Ben. I'll bring her round to play with them sometime."

The four of them talked for a while, before Lois announced that she had to go to work, so she said goodbye. Clark followed her head and caught her hand in the hallway. "You have no reason to be nervous, trust me. I believe in you." He smiled at her, with love in his eyes. Lois smiled back as they hugged and she murmured, "I don't what I'd do if anything happened to you, Smallville. I love you so much. I'll see you later." Their eyes met and they stared at each other for a while, before Lois turned away and made her way to work.

The Daily Planet was a ten minute walk away from where Lois and Clark lived and Lois was very glad that she could walk to work, as it gave her a chance to calm herself. On her way, she texted Chloe, saying that she wanted to talk to her, but received no reply.

Lois entered the Daily Planet and walked to Perry White's office. She knocked and he invited her inside. He was a rather old man, with receding hair and he always seemed to have a cigarette in his mouth. He also spoke with a Deep South accent, so understanding him was not always the easier task in the world. "Lane, welcome to the Daily Planet. I'm sure you'll do a fine job. But before you start work, there's someone out in the bullpen, by your desk, who would like to talk to me. I think it's your cousin." He smiled kindly and excused her, so Lois nodded gratefully and left the office.

Chloe was standing by her new desk and she embraced her cousin with a hug. "Congratulations, Lois. You really deserve this. But I haven't come to talk to you about that, sorry. I'm here about the argument Clark and I had."

"Yeah. I know. He didn't tell me much, but he told me what he said to you and, may I just say, I told him to apologise because what he said to you was all wrong." She sat down in her hair and saw the hesitation in Chloe's face and asked, "Some of what he said, did some of that ring true?"

"Yes, but only some of it-not all of it." Chloe was sounding very awkward and Lois could understand. She was in a tricky situation and she also knew that she did not want Lois and Clark to argue over what the latter had said to her.

Lois smiled reassuringly and asked in a gentle voice, "So, are you jealous of me?"

Chloe pulled a chair from another desk and sat down. "I'm not jealous of you-I'm jealous of the relationship which you and Clark have. The way that you know each other and love each other. The two of you are a team and, let's face it, my relationship with Jimmy is less than desirable. But I'm not jealous of you, I'm jealous of the relationship you and Clark have." There was a silence, then she asked, "Do you and Clark both think that I settled for Jimmy, that I'm not destined to be with him?"

Sighing, Lois replied, "I think that you doubt if he's the one you're going to ultimately end up with. Do you?"

"Did you ever doubt that with Clark?"

Lois shook her head. "No, as soon as we declared our love for each other, I knew that he was the one, the one I was destined to be with. I know that you and Jimmy love each other very much, but is there anyone else that maybe you think you're going to end up with?"

Tears began to form in Chloe eyes, but she blinked to prevent them from falling. She inhaled a deep breath and whispered, "No. All I want is Jimmy back. That's all I ask for. Our argument was about why I married him. I married him because I loved him, not because of anyone else. When Clark asked you to marry him, did you already know your answer?"

A smile spread across Lois's face as she remembered Clark's proposal. "I already knew what my answer would be, yes. But equally, he wouldn't have asked if he'd thought that I would say no. Jimmy's must have been the same-he must have known that you'd say yes, because believe me, men would not put their heart on their sleeves in that way if they thought they were going to be rejected."

"I wish that Jimmy would realise that." Chloe murmured, trying to dry her eyes without Lois seeing even though she knew that she had already seen. "I guess…a part of the argument with Clark was me trying to do what I thought was best for you, Lois. I was trying to protect you, but Clark replied that that was his job, not mine."

Lois took hold of her cousin's hand and remarked, "Clark's wrong. I need both of you to protect me. I need both of you in my life for different reasons and.. until now, I thought that you and Clark got on well. I guess I was wrong."

"No, I like Clark. It's just…" Chloe trailed off, wondering how to put her feelings and thoughts in words. "I just feel as if, since you and Clark have been together, you don't need me as much as you used to. When you need advise, you go to your best friend, to your husband. I know it sounds stupid, but"-

Looking into her eyes, her cousin insisted, "Chloe, it is not stupid. Yeah, ok, my life has changed since I met Clark, as I knew it would, and he is my best friend as well as my best friend. But that does not mean that I don't need you. I'll always need you. You're like a sister to me, Chloe, and I know if something ever happened to me, I could rely on you to support Clark and the twins. I trust and need you in a different way from how I trust and need Clark. That's never going to change, ok? Never! I can't imagine my life without you." She pulled Chloe into a hug and the two of them remained in that position, as if absorbing strength from the other. When they finally parted, Chloe sniffed slightly, before she said, "I'll find Clark later today and sort things out between the two of us. I really was just trying to do what I thought was best for you, Lois. Apart from Nicky, you're the only family I really have." She stood up, then sat back down again, "I guess, everything has changed for me this past year as well. I've become a mother, married and I've lost my best friend."

"Wait-what do you mean, lost your best friend?" Lois inquired, frowning.

Chloe sighed, then replied, "Well, do you remember that Ollie didn't go to my wedding."

"I thought that was because he was working."

Shaking her head, Chloe murmured, "No, it wasn't. I asked him to go and he said that he wasn't going to."

"Do you know why?" Lois thought that she knew why. Oliver had been in love with Chloe and watching her marry Jimmy would have been hard, but Chloe was his best friend. Lois also suspected that Chloe did not know that Oliver had been in love with her, so she did not want to tell her.

"No, I don't know why." Chloe lied, not looking into her cousin's eyes. The truth was that she knew very well why Oliver had not attended her wedding and she understood, but his not being there had damaged their friendship and Chloe knew that they had only recently started to mend their friendship. "His not being there was so hard for me. I really wanted him there, but he refused. How could he do that?" A part of her wanted to tell Lois the truth about why Oliver had not attended her wedding, but she knew that telling her cousin would create more problems than solve them, so she bit her lip and decided against it. Nobody knew the truth and she wanted it to remain that way. For her sake… and for Jimmy's. "Anyway, I have to go. Good luck with your first day." Chloe kissed her cousin on the check, then walked away, with the burden of the secret still in her heart.

Half an hour later, Chloe returned home and waited for Jimmy to drop off Nicolas; their baby had sent the night with Jimmy and he was due to spend the rest of the day with his mother. There was a knock on the door and Jimmy walked in, with Nicolas in his arms. He placed him down on the sofa, then turned away to the door, but Chloe called him back and he finally looked at his estranged wife. "Jimmy, I just wanted to say thanks for sticking up for me with Kara. I know that can't have been easy for you, considering… who she is and what she means to you."

Jimmy walked over to her and smiled, "Chloe, my relationship with Kara was a life-time ago. Yes, I did love her, but not the way I love you." He paused, worried that Chloe would send him away, but she did not. She looked into his eyes, smiling at him, so he continued, "We're married and we should work through this like a proper married couple. I don't want to be like Lex and Tess-they just run away from their problems or they don't talk about them. I don't want you and I to be like that. I care about you and our son too much for that."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that.. we should end this legal speration and deal with this problem like a normal married couple." Jimmy sat down next to Nicolas on the sofa and kissed his son on the head. "The truth is, our entire relationship moved at lightening speed, I mean, we'd only been together for a couple of days when we… made love, but I already knew that I loved you. So, is it really any surprise that we got married so quickly, given everything? I should never have questioned you, Chloe."

Sitting down on the other side of their son, Chloe took hold of Jimmy's hand as she whispered, "Jimmy, I accepted your proposal because I loved you and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Do you still feel that way about me? About our lives together? I wouldn't blame you, after everything I've put you through." Jimmy's voice was slightly shaky as if he were afraid of the answer.

Chloe sighed and answered, "Jimmy, ever since we broke up, I've wanted nothing more than to be with you again. That's all I want and all I ever will want: you. You and Nicky are my life and I don't want to loose you, ever." A genuine smile spread across Jimmy's face and he squeezed her hand and then his fingers fell on her wedding ring. He tightened his fingers around it, then whispered, "You and I are meant to be together, Chloe, and these rings which we wear are a constant reminder of our love for each other. It's eternal." He slowly leaned forward and they kissed, smiling. Their lips parted and they looked down at their son, who was smiling happily. They chuckled, then Chloe rested her head on Jimmy's shoulder and held her son in her arms. She, Jimmy and Nicolas were a family again and she did not want anymore more.. but Clark's words were still in the back of her mind.

At Queen Industries, Oliver was working in his office when he was informed that Felicity was outside, waiting to see him. Biting his lip, he granted her permission to enter his office and ran his hands over his face, wondering why she was there. What did she want? She did not love him anymore. The door opened and Felicity walked into the office. Oliver stood up and forced a smile. "Felicity, how are you?" When she did not reply, he added, "Come on, I thought we agreed to pretend nothing happened between the two of us and be friends? Can you not do that now?"

Felicity did not look him in the eye, but she walked over to him and inquired, in a very even voice, "Are you and Kara together?"

Confused by her question, Oliver replied, "Well, we went for a meal together last night and kissed, but I'm not sure if that will lead to anything or not. Why do you ask?"

"I was just…wondering." Felicity remarked, in a casual voice, before the façade fell apart and she whispered, "I didn't think that you'd move on so quickly." Oliver stared at her, amazed at what she had said. He sighed and replied, "Felicity, you told me that you didn't love me anymore and you moved to London. What was I supposed to do, huh? Just wait for you to come back and realise that you still loved me? You have no right to be mad with me about this-not after you were the one who ended our relationship!"

Felicity glared at him, before remarked, "I worked out who you were in love with before me, by the way." She sighed. "Oliver, I left you because I thought that I was doing the right thing to me and for you! You can never love me as much as her and I was kidding myself by making myself believe that!"

"Felicity, I was going to propose to you! I actually bought and ring and thought about what I was going to say!" Oliver let slip before he realised what he had said. He looked away from her, then murmured, "I loved you enough to want to spend the rest of my life with you. Doesn't that tell you anything?" She said nothing. She stood there, in silence, staring at him, almost as if she were in a gaze of trance. After the silence continued, Oliver walked up to her and told her that he had to go to a meeting, so he walked past her and left the office. As soon as the door was closed, Felicity closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. She could not believe that Oliver had been going to propose to her. If only she had known that he had loved her that much….

"Excuse me?" She turned around to see Barry Allen standing behind her. "Are you Felicity Lance?"

Nodding, Felicity nodded. "Yeah, I am. Who are you?"

Barry smiled and replied. "I'm Barry Allen. I was told that I'd find you here. I've been sent work for the Science branch of the company you work for." Felicity nodded. "Yes, of course. Erm… follow me then."

When they arrived at the company's building in Metropolis, Barry began working and Felicity sat on the computer, watching him whilst doing her work. "Is there something bothering you? You seem quite distant and upset about something?" Barry inquired, sounding concerned.

Initially, Felicity ignored him, because she had only just met him, but she knew that she needed to talk to someone and all of her other friends knew Oliver so talking to them would be awkward. "It's nothing. It's just…relationship stuff, that's all. I left my ex-boyfriend to go to London, I came back and now I think he's close to being with someone else."

Barry looked up at her, smiling again. "Would you ex-boyfriend be Oliver Queen, by any chance?" The look in her eyes was all he needed, so he asked, "So, what happened between the two of you? I mean, why did you break up with him?"

Felicity looked away and kept her eyes fixed on the computer screen. "Before he was with me, he was in love with somebody else and I thought that he still loved her when we were together...but now he tells me that he was going to ask me to marry him, so now I'm questioning whether breaking up with him was the best thing to do. I've known him since I was a kid and I-I don't want to loose him." She turned her attention back to her work and the two of them continued to work in silence.

That afternoon, Chloe made her way to Clark's office, leaving Nicolas with Jimmy. She wanted to make up with him for Lois's sake. She loved her cousin so much and she did not want to risk anything when it came to their relationship. She knocked on the door of his office and waited until she was invited inside.

Once inside, she saw the confused and startled look on her cousin-in-law's face and he asked, "Chloe? What brings you here?" he did not want to make it obvious that Lois had told him to apologise.

Chloe closed the door and walked over to him. "Clark, you and I need to talk. We can't keep going on like this, barley tolerating each other. So, what's your problem with me?"

Clark stared at her. "Chloe, I want to apologise to you not-"

"Just answer the damn question, Clark! Tell me what your problem is with me!" Chloe snapped.

There was a silence, then Clark began, "You want to be honest? Fine, I will be! Personally, I think that you settled for Jimmy. I know that your relationships aren't any of my business, but I don't think that he'll be able to make you happy for much longer. You're also really possessive of Lois and I feel as if you're trying to undermine my position as her husband and protector. But I do care about you, Chloe. I know how much you mean to Lois, so we need to sort this out."

Much to his surprise, Chloe burst out laughing and smiled and, for once, her smile reached her eyes and Clark thought that she looked rather beautiful and rather like Lois in a certain light. "Clark, you do realise that all of this time we've spent not liking each other, is because we both want what's best for Lois? We both love in her in different ways."

"And all this time, I thought that you hated me."

"No, I could never hate you, Clark." Chloe walked over to his desk and sat there in front of him. "Can I tell you a secret? The day of your wedding, I told Lois not to marry you. I did that to test her, because in the past, she had always listened to my advise. But on that day, she didn't and that was how I know that you were the one for her. You make her happier than I ever saw her as a child, Clark, and you're a fantastic father as well to Jane and Ben. Lois couldn't have picked a better person with whom to share her life." With that, the two of them hugged, before Chloe walked out of the office and Clark returned to work, happy that he and Chloe both had Lois's best interests at heart.

Meanwhile, at the Daily Planet, Lois was typing up her notes for a story. She had stayed up late the night before finishing them and she had forced Clark to help her. Finishing all of the notes had filled her with achievement, but now she was determined to write the story before somebody else did. As she was staring at her computer writer, one of her colleges walked over to her. "Welcome back, Lane? How are the twins? What did you have in the end?"

Lois really wanted to concentrate on her work, but she also loved nothing more than to speak about her children, so she turned around and replied, "Clark and I had a boy and a girl. They're named Jane and Ben Lane-Kent. What's your son named?" Before having the twins, she had taken very little interest in other people's children, but now she was interested.

"He's Jackson and he's 5." Lois's friend sighed and looked very troubled.

"What's wrong?" Lois inquired, titling her head to make eye contact with the other woman.

There was silence, then her friend answered, "It's just-I had no choice about returning to work, I had to because I'm a single parent and I was fine with it, until his childminder called me and told me that he was walking and… I missed it and I missed the first time he spoke and… so many others. If I had my way, I would've returned to work after he had started school. I love him, but I wasn't there for the important things and I still feel bad. Anyway, I'd better get back to work." With that, she walked away, leaving Lois sitting still in her chair. It had not occurred to her that she could miss milestones in Jane and Ben's life if she were at work, but the idea made her heart ache.

That evening, Lois arrived home quite late. Clark was sitting with the twins on either side on the sofa. "Look, kids, Mummy's home." He smiled as Lois leaned over to kiss him and kiss their babies. She picked up Ben and sat down with him on her knee. "Thanks for helping me out last night, Smallville. I really appreciate it."

"No problem. How was your first day?" Clark asked, taking Jane onto his knee and kissed her on the head.

Lois was silent for a while, before replying, "It was fine-it was great in fact, but… I feel a bit uneasy about leaving Jane and Ben with a stranger. I don't like the idea of missing key stages in their lives because I'm trying to prove to anyone-and to myself- that I can be a mother as well as work."

Biting his lip, her husband took hold of her hand and whispered, "Lois, I feel that way every day, worried that I'm going to miss something in their lives. And as for you, trying to prove myself"-

"The only people I really want to impress are you and the kids! You guys are the only people I really care about."

"In that case, you know that you don't have to prove anything to me. When I look at you, I see a strong woman and I love you for that-you follow your heart and that can take guts. And as for what Jane and Ben think-to them you are their mum, so you're going to be wonderful and adored no matter what you do. They, I and Chloe are the four people who will love you unconditionally, no matter what, Lois." He wiped the tears away from Lois's check, then they leaned in closer and kissed, as they could not hug because their twins were in the middle of them. After their kiss, they rested their heads together, with their babies in between them, united as a family.


	8. Chapter 7: Home for Christmas

**I have been on holiday for 2 weeks, hence why there have been no updates. Please, read and review:). Let me know what you would like to happen to the different couples.**

 **Chapter 7: Home for Christmas.**

A month passed and soon the feeling of Christmas was in the air. Clark was looking forward to spending time with his family, but his parents were going to spend Christmas with his brother, so he was disappointed that he would not going to see them. Lois, on the other hand, was glad that her parents were not coming to see her for Christmas. She was also glad that Kara was going to be around for Christmas. She had also heard from Kara that she and Oliver were now officially a couple. Chloe and Jimmy were going to Smallville for Christmas to be with Chloe's dad and both Lois and Clark were glad that Chloe still had a relationship with her dad.

One evening before Christmas, Lois returned home from shopping and found Clark sitting with the twins and Oliver, Felicity and Kara. She had told Clark that Oliver and Kara were dating, but Kara did not know that her cousin knew. "Lois," Felicity turned to her. "are you looking forward to Christmas?"

"I always do." Lois replied, as she picked up Jane and kissed her. "Where are you spending Christmas, Felicity? With your parents in Star City?"

She saw her friend glance slightly at Oliver, before answering, "Er-no, they're very busy this year, so I'll be spending it here in Metropolis." Her smile faded as she saw Kara kiss Oliver on the check. She stood up and left the room. Lois followed her and asked her if she was ok.

"Yeah, of course. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Seeing Oliver with Kara is hard, but I'm a big girl. I can deal with things like that, just as I know he would deal with it if our roles were reversed and I were dating another man. Anyway, I have to go." She forced a smile and left the house. Lois held Jane to her chest and sighed. Clark appeared behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. Feeling his tone, Lois turned around to face him. "Are you ok, Smallville? You seem a bit…tense."

Her husband forced a smile and replied, "I'm fine, Lois. Don't worry about me." Lois was about to ask him again, as she was sure that he was not being honest with her when Kara called her into the kitchen, so she walked past Clark and into the kitchen, reminding herself that she had to talk to her husband later, after everybody had left.

After Oliver and Kara left and Jane and Ben were in bed, Lois and Clark sat down in front of the fire and held each other in their arms. "Smallville, what's wrong? Are you upset because your parents can't make it here for Christmas?"

Clark shook his head and finally decided to be honest. "Well, yeah, it is that, but it isn't the only thing. As a kid, when I lived in Smallville, we never celebrated Christmas, because my mum's Jewish. I mean, we had a tree, but that was the extent of it."

"Why didn't you just tell me that?"

"Because I didn't think that you'd understand." Clark snapped. He bit his lip, instantly regretting his tone, so he added in a softer tone, "What I mean is that, even though you're half-Jewish too, your family celebrated Christmas. You weren't raised in the same way I was and I'm not sure how we're going to raise Jane and Ben. I mean, what are they going to believe?"

There was a silence, then Lois replied in a whisper, "I don't know. Whatever they want to believe, I guess. We can't control what they believe."

"No-but they'll follow our lead." Clark sighed, before continuing, "I know that neither of us are observant, but it's about their family heritage as well. About their culture, which is why I'm unsure if we should celebrate Christmas."

"Clark, celebrating Christmas can be done even if we aren't Christian," Lois pushed her fringed behind her ear, "I want the kids to always remember our Christmases as a family, so that when they're older, they do the same thing with their kids. I know it sounds as if I don't care about part of my heritage, but I do. Can you understand that, Smallville?"

Clark smiled. "You're right. What matters is that we're together as a family. That's what's important."

Felicity knocked on the front door of Barry Allen's house and waited. She knew that she could trust him, even though she had only met him once. They had an understanding of each other, a connection which she did not understand, but she knew that he would comfort her. Seeing Oliver with Kara was very hard and Felicity knew that she needed to be stronger and not let it affect her in this way. This was her fault, she had told Oliver that she did not love her. Was it any surprise that he had moved on? The door opened and Barry smiled at her. "Felicity, would you like to come in?"

As Felicity walked into the house, her eyes were caught by the sight of the sitting room, as there were toys and crayons in there. "Do you have company?" Barry smiled, as he replied, "Yeah. My daughter, Callie. She's 4 and she really wants to meet you." It was only then that Felicity saw the wedding ring on Barry's finger and she suddenly felt very stupid for not noticing it before. He was married with a daughter. Before she could say anything else, a little girl ran down the stairs. She ran over to Felicity and held out her hand. "Hello, Ms. Lance. I'm Callie West-Allen. It's nice to meet you." As Felicity looked at the little girl, there was no doubt in her mind that she was Barry's daughter as the resemblance between them was very clear.

Barry kissed his daughter on the head, before sending her into the living room and leading Felicity into the kitchen. "Your daughter's lovely," Felicity remarked as Barry began to make her a cup of tea, "how long have you been married?"

Looking down at the cup, Barry replied, "Iris and I married after I graduated Yale-so about 10 years, but…she died a couple of years ago."

"I'm so sorry." Felicity whispered. She paused, then asked in a soft voice, "What happened?"

Much to her surprise, Barry looked up and made eye contact with her. As he replied, "It was a car accident...she died instantly. That's good, because she wasn't in any pain. I was in the car too and I didn't die. I guess I feel guilty because I should have died and she should have lived." He walked past her and into the living room to check on Callie, who was playing with her toys in there.

Callie ran into the kitchen and asked Felicity if she would play with her. Felicity glanced at Barry for a second, before nodding and allowing herself to be dragged into the living room. She was worried about playing with Callie, as she had never been one to play with children, but she enjoyed it and Callie enjoyed being with her. As they were playing, Barry watched them from over the brim of his book and smiled. His eyes met with Felicity's for a second and she felt herself blush, before returning her attention back to the little girl and her Barbie dolls.

Meanwhile, Clark called Lois down from their bedroom in a soft voice, as Ben and Jane were asleep. "What's with all of the secrecy, Smallville? Why did you make me go upstairs? I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but why do it?" Lois's questions were answered as she stepped into the kitchen and saw that the table was set with her favourite dinner and her drink. Clark pulled out a chair for his wife and remarked, "I'm really sorry for being such a sad sack earlier. I didn't mean to take it out on you. What really matters to me is being with the three most important people in my life and that's you and the twins. Nothing else really matters-not even the religion behind what we're celebrating."

Slowly, Lois walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him, as she whispered, "You are the most wonderful man I have ever known, Clark Kent." They kissed, hugged, then began to eat their dinner in perfect harmony. Neither of them knew it, but their marriage was the marriage which their friends and family craved for themselves.

It was now nearly 10:00 in the evening and yet Chloe found herself sitting in her car outside of Queen Industries. She was not sure if Oliver would still be working or not, but she assumed that he would not be and so made her way to his private apartment. All of his security guards knew who she was, so she had no trouble gaining access to see Oliver.

In the apartment, most of the lights were off, but Chloe could see her friend sitting on the sofa looking through some papers. "Oliver?" Chloe alerted him to her presence. He looked up and smiled. "Chloe, hey. I heard about you and Jimmy getting back together. You must be so happy."

"I am, thanks. We finally worked out our problems and… I've never been happier." Her voice faltered slightly as she said the last bit, but Oliver appeared not to notice. "I hear that you and Kara are together. I must confess, I didn't see that coming, but I can see how the two of work together." Oliver fixed his eyes back on the pieces of paper and Chloe saw his smile falter and she wondered if she had said something which had offended him.

Oliver finally broke the silence, as he remarked, in a slightly flat voice, "Whilst I do enjoy your company, I'm sure there's a reason you're here, Chloe, and it isn't to discuss our relationships." Chloe stared at him, startled by his harsh tone, but she brushed it away and walked over to the sofa. "Well, after New Year's Eve, Jimmy and I would like to spend some time together, so I was wondering if you could look after Nicky for a couple of nights? It would mean a lot to me and you and Nicky are really close. He really loves his Uncle Ollie, you know."

"Yeah, sure, Chloe. I'll just be a babysitter for you." Oliver snapped. He closed his eyes, instantly regretting his tone and what he had said. He looked up at Chloe and saw the confusion in her eyes. His friend walked closer to him and whispered, "Ollie, that isn't how I see you. You're his godfather. You mean so much to me… more than you'll ever know." Their eyes met and Chloe could see Oliver's eyes searching hers as if he were trying to work her out. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, she backed away and looked down at the floor. Sighing, Oliver remarked, "I thought we were past this… awkward stage. I mean, we had that talk the night we babysitted the twins. We put in behind us." He paused, then asked in barley a whisper, "Chloe, what's really going on here?"

Chloe looked up and her friend saw that there were tears in her eyes. She inhaled a deep breath, then confessed, "Ollie, you didn't go to my wedding. You-who were supposed to be my best friend- did not attend my wedding and you didn't give me a real reason! I mean, I can guess, but I don't know… and don't tell me that you had to work, because you're the boss, so you call the shots!"

"Chloe, this is history. You said that… what happened should remain in the past and this should apply to that." Oliver picked up his papers and walked past her, wanting to get out of the room as quickly as possible.

Grabbing his arm, causing him to face her, she snapped, "No, we can't leave it there! You were- and still are-my best friend, but you didn't go my wedding. It was the happiest day of my wedding and you weren't there! Do you have any idea how hard that was for me? And I had to lie to Lois and Clark about why you weren't there?" She glared at him, trying to let him know how upset and angry she was with him.

Oliver pulled his arm out of her grip, maintaining eye contact with her, as he murmured, "Chloe, if it was hard for you, how hard do you think it was for me? Seeing you fall in love and marrying Jimmy, I mean? Did you ever stop and think for a second about me? You are my best friend, Chloe, but on the day you married Jimmy, you were the girl who broke my heart." He finally broke eye contact and walked away, leaving Chloe standing in silence, wondering what to do or say next. She followed him as he entered his bedroom.

At the doorframe, she rested her head there and confessed, "Ollie, I didn't know that you actually had feelings for me. I'm sorry. I just thought that I was another girl on your list. I can understand why you didn't go."

Looking up at her, Oliver sighed, "Chloe, I know that you never felt that way about me. I know that now. You and Jimmy are great together and I-I wish you all the best. Can we get past this and be best friends again, like we were before everything went crazy?" Chloe nodded, then Oliver pulled her into a hug and she hugged him back. With her head resting on his chest, she closed her eyes and smiled. Oliver was her best friend and he meant more to her than he would ever know.

The next morning, Clark rolled over in the bed and wrapped his arms around Lois. They had spent most of the night feeding and cuddling Jane and Ben, so he was savouring this time together. Lois woke up and smiled, as she loved waking up in her husband's arms. Being in his arms made her feel safe and loved at the same time. Lois smiled and rolled over to face Clark. "I love waking up in your arms, Smallville." She murmured, with a big smile on her face.

"Likewise, Mrs. Lane-Kent." Clark replied in the same tone. They moved closer to each other and rested their heads together for a while, looking into each other's eyes before kissing gently.

A couple of hours later, with Jane and Ben, Lois and Clark arrived at Tess and Lex's house. Both of them were apprehensive about what to expect in terms of how Tess and Lex were with each other, as neither of them had told Lois and Clark anything about their relationship. Clark was glad in a way, as he felt in a difficult position, as Tess was his sister and Lex, one of his dearest and eldest friends. Lois was also wondering about her cousin, as she had not seen her for a while. She knew that she and Jimmy were back together, but that did not mean that she did not worry.

Alex and James opened the front door and the two boys were buzzing with excitement. They led Lois and Clark into the living room, where Tess was organising something in the corner of the room. She smiled as her brother entered the room and she took baby Jane into her arms, holding her close. Clark smiled at how much his sister loved his children. He turned to his nephews and asked, "Are you boys excited for Christmas?"

"Yes, Uncle Clark!" pipped up James, who was very talkative for one so young. "Mummy's birth mother is coming to spend Christmas with us and we'll see you as well. Isn't it going be great?" Clark could not help but see the look of sadness in Tess's eyes. Lois saw the same look in Lex's eyes, who was standing in the doorway, watching and listening to everything in the room. Lex stepped into the room and remarked, "It will be great. Won't it, Tess?" His tone was gentle and loving. For the first time since he had entered the room, Tess looked up from her niece and looked at her husband. Their eyes met and she smiled, glad that he was making an effort. She knew that he loved their sons more than anything in the world, which made her very happy. Lois and Clark exchanged a look and decided to leave, as they felt as if they were interfering in a private matter.

Once they were home, they fed Jane and Ben. It began to snow and they felt very safe in their home, with each other and with their children. "Do you think that Tess and Lex will ever resolve their issues?" Lois asked, as Jane began to fall asleep in her arms.

Clark sighed. "I wish I could say that they will, but I don't know. I know they love each other, but what if that isn't enough? I mean, I never expected Chloe and Jimmy to separate and they did for a while, so I guess you can never tell."

"My cousin and Jimmy have had trust issues since the day they said 'I do'," Lois remarked, grimily, "I just hope that they've resolved them. For their own sake and for Nicky's. And I cannot believe that Chloe is still hiding the fact that she had a one-night stand with someone before they were together. She didn't even tell me who the guy was."

Smiling, Clark took hold of his wife's hand. "That's one of the things I know I don't have to worry about with you. You never hide anything from me and I'm the same with you." He paused, then added, "I really do wonder who Chloe's mystery man is, though. I wonder why she did that, it doesn't seem like the sort of like Chloe would do. I know she loves Jimmy, but I think that she needs to tell him."

Meanwhile, Oliver and Kara were sitting in a café together, having hot drinks because of the temperature outside. "I still can't believe how I ended my relationship with Jimmy. I loved him. Why was I so stupid? Oliver, can I ask you something? How many times have you been in love?"

Oliver looked down at his hands, then replied, "Twice-neither relationship worked out."

Kara took hold of his hands and leaned her head closer to his. "I'm really optimistic about our relationship. Aren't you?" Their eyes met, then Oliver kissed her, before standing up and wrapping his coat around his shoulders. "Have a good Christmas, Kara. I'll see you when you get back, ok?" Kara stood up and they kissed again, then Oliver walked out of the café, leaving Kara feeling slightly puzzled.

Oliver made his way back to his office, as he had work to do. When he walked into his office and took off his coat, one of his guards informed him that there was someone there to see him, someone named Gabe Sullivan. Recognising the name of Chloe's dad, Oliver invited him into his office and sat down whilst he was waiting. The door opened and Gabe Sullivan walked into the office. "Mr. Sullivan, it's a pleasure to see you again. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Gabe sat down and answered, "Well, it's actually me repaying the favour-you helped me get up here to Chloe at Thanksgiving and now I'm here for Christmas. Are you spending the holiday with anyone, Oliver?"

There was a short silence, then Oliver shook his head. "No, sir. I have no family, so I'll be working, most likely."

"Well, that's why I'd like to invite you to spend Christmas with us: me, Chloe, Jimmy and Nicky."

Oliver stared at him, before replying, "Sir, I couldn't do that. I would be intruding and it's only Nicky's second Christmas"-

"Exactly and you're his godfather," Gabe interrupted him, "I know how much you mean to Chloe. It's a simple act of kindness. Please accept it." With that, Gabe stood up and excused himself from the office, leaving Oliver wondering what to do. He wondered if Chloe and Jimmy were aware of Gabe's plan or if this was all his doing and he was not sure which was worse.

Christmas Day came and Chloe was busy decorating the Christmas tree in their living room. She had also bought a spare one for Lois and Clark, in case the latter changed his mind about wanting one. "That looks lovely, darling." Jimmy whispered as he walked into the room and wrapped his arms around her. "How on Earth did I get so lucky? I guy like me doesn't tend to get a girl like you, Chloe."

Beaming with happiness, Chloe murmured, "Well you, Jimmy Olsen, did. And I'm your equal. I always have been, always will be." She paused, then whispered, "I really love you. You know that, right?"

Jimmy nodded. "I do and _ditto_. I feel the same about you and that's never going to change." Chloe moved her face closer to his and they kissed, closing their eyes, enjoying being so close to each other in that way, expressing their love for each other. Their intimacy was interrupted by a light knock on the door. Gabe opened it and Oliver walked in and into the sitting room. Chloe and Jimmy had their arms wrapped around each other and both instantly looked embarrassed when Oliver entered.

Forcing a smile to cover the mortification, Jimmy asked, "Hey, Oliver. Are you going to be joining us tonight?"

For a second, Oliver's eyes fell on Chloe, but he received no response. He cleared his throat, before shaking his head. "No, Jimmy, Chloe. Thank-you very much for the invitation, but I-I can't. I'm sorry. Have a lovely evening." He turned his back and practically ran out of the room and house.

Frowning, Chloe asked, "What was that about?"

Her dad fixed her with his gaze and replied, "Well, he lost his parents very young, so Christmas is probably a very hard time for him." Chloe knew that her dad was trying to tell her something, but before she could ask him, he walked away.

As soon as Oliver was back in his office, he fished out his mobile phone and texted Felicity, asking her what she was doing for Christmas. He wanted her friendship, if he could have nothing else.

Standing outside of her front door with Barry, Felicity felt her phone vibrate and saw that the message was from Oliver. She sent a quick reply, then turned her attention back to Barry. "I had a great time with you today, Barry, and with Callie. She's a real sweetheart."

Barry smiled, unsure of what to say. "Yeah, I had a great time too. So did Callie. She really likes you… and so do I." He cursed himself. "I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to"- he was cut off by Felicity leaning and kissing him. Their lips parted and their eyes met. "What was that for?"

"It was because I like you and you like me, so why wait around?" Felicity answered, in a very matter-of-fact voice. "So, after Christmas, shall we meet up for a coffee? If that's what you want, of course. If it isn't then, tell me now." She received her reply when Barry kissed her. They said their goodbyes and parted, very excited.

As Clark returned from his work (on which Lois had sent him), he saw that there was another car in the driveway. Upon entering the house, he saw that the lights in the living room were out. He walked in and saw his mum and dad sitting on the sofa with Jane and Ben in their arms and they had candles. Like the candles they had had in the house when Clark had been a child. He embraced his parents and babies, before going to the kitchen to find Lois. She was standing here, smiling from ear to ear. "Does that make you even happier, Smallville?" she asked, with tears of joy in her eyes. In response, Clark wrapped his arms around her and they kissed passionately, before holding each other in each other's arms. As far as Clark was concerned, he had the most important people in his life all together, so it was Christmas. A time of love and forgiveness.


	9. Chapter 8: Truths

**I do not own Smallville or Arrow. Please, read, and reviews are always appreciated:).**

 **Chapter 8: Truths.**

January arrived, yet the snow remained in Metropolis and it was still very thick. Martha and Johnathan were still staying with Lois and Clark, as their car could not get through all of the snow and the snow would be even worse in the countryside where they lived; for this reason, Kara was still in Smallville with her parents and Gabe was still staying with Chloe and Jimmy. Felicity had not made contact with Oliver, as she feared that his Christmas had been just as miserable as hers, and possibly worse as he had no family.

On a Saturday morning, Lois woke up early to feed the twins. After doing that, she prepared breakfast for Martha and Johnathan, as she had a burning desire to impress them. She knew that Clark's parents were fond of her, but that did not prevent her from constantly worrying about how she appeared to them and how she appeared as a mother to Jane and Ben, especially considering that her own mother was so critical. Her thoughts were interrupted when Clark entered the room and walked over to her. "Lois, you really don't have to go to all of this trouble to impress my parents, they've always thought the world of you." He kissed her lightly on the neck to assure her that everything was alright.

"I know, I just-I want to impress them as much as I can." Lois knew that she sounded like a mad housewife, but she did not care. Clark took hold of her hands and murmured, "Lois, we gave my parents grandchildren and you love me. That's all they've ever wanted for me. They love you for that alone as well as all of your amazing attributes."

The kitchen door opened and Martha and Johnathan walked in, fully dressed pulling their suitcases along with them. Martha's eyes were red, it looked as if she had been crying and Johnathan was standing by the door in silence. Clark tried to read his parents' expressions, but he could not. He glanced at Lois, who looked just as confused as he felt, before asking, "Are you guys not staying for breakfast?"

There was a dead silence, then Martha answered, "I'm afraid not, sweetie. We have to get home."

"Why?" Clark asked, wondering if their call home was the cause of his parents' strange behaviour.

Martha looked at her husband for the first time since they had entered the room. Their eyes met for a fleeting second, then she looked away and he answered, "There's been a problem on the farm. We'll call you later, Clark. Thanks for everything, Lois. Kiss the kids goodbye for us, will you?" With that, he turned away, pulling the suitcases with him.

Clark and Lois turned their attention back to his mum. She walked over to Lois and, ignoring, her daughter in law's concern, hugged her goodbye, before walking over to Clark. Martha almost collapsed into her son's arms and she was fighting back the tears which were threatening to fall down her face. Lois saw this because of where she was standing and her stomach felt sick, worrying about what the cause of this was. As Martha released Clark, he bent his head so that it was level with hers and he asked, "Mum, are you sure everything's ok?"

Avoiding looking into his eyes, Martha forced a smile and replied, in a flat voice, "Clark, everything's fine. Don't worry. As your father said, we'll call you when we get home." She kissed his temple as she had done when he was a child, then she picked up her bag and walked out of the house. Lois took hold of Clark's hand and led him to the door. As Martha and Johnathan's car pulled out of their drive, Clark asked, "Do you have any idea what's going on? I have a gut feeling that it isn't anything to do with the farm."

Lois closed her eyes, unable to erase the look of pain in Martha's eyes. "I don't know, Clark, but we'll find out, I'm sure. They'll be fine, they're your parents."

"That's what I'm worried about." Clark mumbled, before kissing Lois on the head and returning to the house to check on Ben and Jane. Lois remained where she was, wondering what was happening. For as long as she had known Clark, Martha and Johnathan had always been happy together and they loved each other deeply. What could have caused this sudden burst of sadness or awkwardness? The two of them had seemed very happy during Christmas. What could have changed in a couple of weeks?

Trudging through the snow, Felicity made her way to the Metro Coffee Shop, as she had a burning desire for a hot chocolate. Just as she purchased her drink in a take-away cup, she saw Oliver sitting at a table with a drink and a paper. She hesitated for a second, before walking over to him, holding her drink close to her, as if it would protect her heart was being hurt. "Hi, Oliver." She spoke for the first time. He looked up from the paper and indicated to the seat opposite him. As soon as she was sitting down, he asked, "So, how was your Christmas?"

Placing her hot chocolate on the table, Felicity answered, "It was nice, thanks. My brother came to stay with me, so that was lovely. It was nice to be with him alone, without our parents." She paused, then asked, "How about you? What did you get up to?"

A smile appeared on Oliver's face and he replied, "I-er-I worked. Oh, don't worry, I let all of my staff go home, but I worked."

"Why did you do that?"

"Well, I had work to do and it isn't as if I have any family, is it?" Oliver hesitated, then moved his hands onto the table. "Can I ask you something? If you'd known that I was going to propose to you, would you still have left to go to London?" His voice was low as it was the only way he could control his voice and emotions.

Felicity stared at him for a couple of seconds, before sighing. "Oliver, the reason I ended our relationship was because I thought that you weren't taking our relationship seriously. So, no if I'd known, I probably wouldn't have left, or when I left, I would've got back together with you. Do you still have the ring?- Wait, no. Don't tell me! Neither answer would make me feel better. I know you and I know that there's no way that you can still be in love with me. Just tell me that, as I told you, so that we've even. Tell me, so that we can move on with our lives." When he just looked into her eyes, Felicity snapped, almost in a begging voice, "Tell me you don't love me anymore! Just say it, Oliver!"

Oliver took hold of her hand and touched it lightly. "Felicity, don't ask me to tell you that. Unlike you, I can-and never will- be able to lie to the person whom I love. I swear to you, I know that you feel the same way. I am not going to give up on us!"

"Oliver, there's something I need to tell you"- her sentence was cut off by the arrival of Barry. She stood up and kissed her lightly. As they parted, she saw Oliver watching them and her heart sank. "This is Barry. He and I are dating now."

Aware of the tension which was now there, Barry suggested, "How about I leave the two of you alone?"

Felicity grabbed hold of his arm and looked into his eyes. "No, Oliver and I are done talking. I have to go anyway. Bye, Oliver." With that, she walked away with Barry. Oliver watched them walking away, his heart breaking. He also saw Kara watching him, but he knew that when she wanted to talk, she would tell him. His relationship with Kara was never going to work out and the sooner they ended it, the better for both of them.

Kara crossed the road and just as she was about to reach Oliver, Jimmy caught her eye, so she walked over him instead, unaware that Oliver was watching her and he had seen her change in direction for it and he knew the reason for it: she was still in love with Jimmy, as he was still in love with Felicity. He knew that he was going to have to be the one to surrender their relationship, as he knew that Kara would not want to surrender.

The exchange and conversation between Jimmy and Kara was incredibly one-sided, as Jimmy loved Chloe more than he had ever loved Kara and he did not share her feelings anymore, but Kara had made herself think that, somehow, she and Jimmy could be together again.

When their conversation ended, Kara walked over to Oliver and sat in the seat where Felicity had been. By the look in hr boyfriend's eyes, she could tell that he had seen her with Jimmy. "Kara, we need to talk."

"No, we can't give up on us!" Kara begged. "I can never be with Jimmy again, I know that now, so I don't want to give up on my relationship with you, Oliver."

Sighing, Oliver observed, "But that isn't fair on me, is it? And, the fact that I'm still in love with Felicity isn't fair on you either. I think we have no choice but to end it now, Kara. Before it gets even more complicated."

Kara shook her head and continued, "But I really like you and you like me! We can make this work, I know we can."

"We'd be living a lie," Oliver replied in a stern voice, "I'm still in love with Felicity, Kara. It wouldn't be fair on you for me to be dating you whilst I'm still in love with her…. And you're still in love with Jimmy." There was a long silence, then Oliver reached over the table and took hold of her hand. "Kara, just because we aren't together anymore, doesn't mean that we can't be friends. I think that you and I could be good friends. What d'you say?" He could see the stubbornness in her eyes, but as time went by, he could see her eyes beginning to soften. A part of him was glad of the excuse to end their relationship, as his feelings for her were not very deep.

After a long pause, Kara finally admitted defeat to the truths of their relationship. She bit her lip and remarked, "Just so you know, I did really like you and I think that, in another life time, you and I could be amazing together." She paused, before adding, "Before we pull the curtain on us forever, there is something I'd like to do."

Oliver frowned, wondering what she was talking about. "And what's that?"

Kara leaned forward and kissed him passionately. When she knew that Oliver was not going to respond in any way, she withdrew and opened her eyes, smiling. She stood up. "Goodbye, Oliver. I'm sure that you and I will still be in each other's lives." She turned her back on him and walked down the street, leaving Oliver slightly stunned that she had been so bold, he wished that Felicity were that bold with showing her feelings for him, or if he were that bold to show her how much he loved her.

Clark put Jane and Ben into their highchairs and began to feed them, whilst Lois made lunch for the two of them and Oliver, as he had asked them if he could join them for lunch and Lois had accepted, as she knew that Clark wanted to speak to someone, besides her about his parents. She was sure that it was nothing serious, but she knew that Clark was worried. Martha had called them to tell them that they were home in Smallville, but she had sounded very sad and that had worried both Lois and Clark. Clark knew that his mum and dad loved each other more than anything. He wanted to speak to Tess about it, but she was busy taking Alexander to football matches, so she was not available and he was worried about burdening her with another problem, when she had problems of her own already. Clark did not want to talk to Lex, considering all that had happened between his own parents, so Clark knew that Oliver was his best chance, besides Lois.

"How did your parents meet?" Lois inquired as she carried in the lunch and placed it on the table. She kissed Jane and Ben on their heads, before sitting down next to her husband, awaiting an answer.

Clark began to feed Jane, then he answered, "Well, as far as I'm aware, my dad went into Metropolis for some repairs to his father's tractor or something like that and they met that day." He paused, before adding, "What I don't understand is why he let her give up everything to do with him."

Lois looked at him confused and inquired his meaning of the latter statement as she began to eat her own lunch. She quite enjoyed the fact that Clark could now feed the children, as it gave her a bit more freedom in terms of when she could eat herself.

Sighing, Clark answered, "Well, before she met my dad, she was going to go to university to study to become a lawyer. Her father was a lawyer, so he was really edger for her to go into that business. She did go to university and began to study, but then she met my dad and, I don't know why, but she dropped out of university and married him. She left Metropolis and moved to Smallville. Why did my dad let her do that, considering he loves her so much? It makes no sense."

"Maybe it was her choice. Maybe she didn't want to follow the life her parents had planned out for her. She wouldn't be the first one to go and do it." Lois remarked, thinking of how she had rebelled against her own parents.

Clark shrugged. "Yeah, I know. It was her decision, but he shouldn't have let her give up her entire carer for him, to marry him. I just doesn't feel right. I mean, I love you with all my heart, Lois, and I would never ask you to give up your future for me."

Looking up from her lunch, Lois smiled and replied, "I know you wouldn't, Smallville. That's one of the many reasons why I fell in love with you." She paused, then added, "Maybe your mum really wanted to start a new life with your dad, though. I know it sounds awful, but human nature is never rational, is it?"

"When I was younger, they always told me about the first time they met. Do you remember the first time we met?"

Lois chuckled at the memory and took hold of her husband's hands. "Smallville, as much as I love you, I could never forget that. I'm very surprised that you haven't forgotten, considering the state you were in."

 _12 years earlier-Yale University…_

 _At 18, Clark had only just began to drink alcohol and now, in bed with a splitting headache, he was regretting drinking so much the previous night. He knew that he should not have tried to impress his new friend and roommate, Oliver Queen. There was a part of him which did not trust the young man. He was very reserved, but Clark guessed that was one of the affects of being orphaned at the age of 10._

 _Clark opened his eyes and suddenly realised to things: he was not in his own room and that he was completely naked in somebody else's bed. As he looked around to his great horror and embarrassment, he saw that he was in a female's room, but there was no female to be seen, much to his relief. However, this relief was short-lived when the door opened. "Erm… why is there a stranger in my bed?" The girl's voice was soft, but it also had a tone to it, which made her sound formidable. Clark stood up and faced the speaker. The young woman's face showed shock as she saw that he was completely naked and Clark heard her murmur something to herself. There was a brief silence, before she walked over to the cupboard and passed him a blanket without looking at him._

 _Wrapping the blanket around him, feeling very embarrassed, he asked, "Who are you? What's your name?"_

 _The young woman finally looked at him properly for the first time as she replied, "Lois. Lois Lane. Now, who the hell are you and why are you in my room?"_

" _I-er-I'm Clark Kent and I am so sorry for being… naked in your bedroom. I woke up in here with a hangover. I'm so sorry." As he began to calm down, he noticed how attractive Lois was and he blushed._

 _Lois bit her lip. "Ok, I don't mean to be rude, but you would mind leaving my room because I have to get dressed for class and I am not going to get dressed with you in here, no matter how open you are about your.. private parts." Clark blushed, then nodded. At the door, he stopped and said, "I hope that you and I will meet again soon, Lois Lane."_

 _Nodding, Lois smiled, but when the door was closed she mumbled, "There is no way on Earth that I am ever going to become friends with him-no matter how good-looking he is. He won't remember me tomorrow anyway."_

 _The next day, Lois made her way to the Student's Union and she sat down with her hot chocolate and books. "Lois Lane?" She looked up and saw Clark Kent standing in front of her._

" _Wow-I'm surprised that you even remember my name, considering the state you were in when we last met."_

 _Clark smiled as he replied, "I could never forget you." He suddenly looked really embarrassed and said, "I mean, er, our meeting was memorable… to say the least." He sat down opposite Lois. There was a long silence before Lois asked, "So, did you find your way back to your own dorm or did you walk into another girl's dorm and scare her?"_

 _Laughing with more embarrassment than humour, Clark shook his head. "No, I didn't. My roommate wasn't very pleased when I turned up naked in our dorm, but I told him what happened." He did not want to tell her that he had told Oliver all about her, as he did not want her to know that he had feelings for her. He did not know if she felt the same way and, for that reason, he wanted them to be friends before anything else._

 _Lois finally looked up at Clark and their eyes met for a fleeting second and Lois began to feel something for him; she felt as if she knew him even though she had only just met him. Scared of this feeling and connection, she stood up and picked up her possessions. "I have to go, Clark." She paused, before adding, "I guess I'll see you around." As she walked away, Clark watched her and smiled to herself. He was pulled out of his thoughts when Oliver sat in Lois's place and asked, with a smile on his face, "Is that Lois Lane, then? I can tell that you like her already. Does she feel the same about you?"_

" _I don't know, but I know that I want to get to know her. I want to become her friend. Can you understand that?" Clark looked up at his friend, hoping that he would understand and he saw that he indeed did. Clark knew that he and Lois Lane would become friends, that was what he wanted more than anything._

 _Present day…_

Lois and Clark were pulled out of their memory of the time they first met when there was a knock on the front door and Oliver walked into the house. "Hey, Clark. What's up? Lois said that you wanted to talk to me." As he walked in, he kissed Jane and Ben on the head before sitting down at the table. Clark threw his wife a thankful smile, before replying, "It's about my parents. I think there's something wrong with them."

Biting his lip, Oliver remarked, "Clark, I'm the last person you want to talk to your parents' problems about, trust me. I won't be able to help you."

"I trust you and just because you don't have parents of your own, doesn't mean that you can't help me." Clark assured his friend, with a sad smile. There was a silence, before he explained, "They were here to Christmas and everything was fine and normal. They were laughing and… they were happy. Then, this morning, after Lois had spent ages making them breakfast, they came down here with their bags and said that they had to leave because of some emergency on the farm. But what was really weird is that they didn't really look at each other. My dad looked really angry and my mum looked… broken. I must say, I was annoyed with them for being so rude to Lois."

Oliver threw Lois a knowing smile, before turning his attention back to Clark. "So you have no ideas what could have caused this transformation over night?"

"None at all," answered Lois, "they were fine. I mean, they argue like a normal married couple, but as I say, that's normal."

"I've never seen either of them like this before," remarked Clark, very worried now, "do you have any ideas what could have caused this?"

Shaking his head, his friend replied, "No. I mean, I can only think of one thing that would cause them to act that way, but your dad doesn't seem like the kind of guy to do that sort of thing." He avoided looking at Clark, as he knew that what he was implying would be considered as treason against Clark's parents' marriage.

Clark glared at Oliver and snapped, "My dad would never do a thing like that! He loves my mum too much and he honours their marriage vows. Your father may have done that, Oliver, but my dad actually loves my mum."

Fixing Clark with a deadly look, Oliver retorted, "I may have only known my parents for ten years, but I can guarantee that my dad never did anything of the sort. He and my mum were faithful to each other until the day they died." Both Lois and Clark could see the pain in their old friend's eyes as he spoke about his parents and the latter began to feel very guilty, so he murmured, "I'm sorry. When I get upset, I lash out. I didn't mean to offend or upset you." In response, Oliver nodded and said, "I'm sure your dad is exactly the same, Clark. He's a good man."

There was a long silence and Lois took charge of feeding the twins in order to have something to whilst her husband and his best friend sat in silence. Finally, Clark broke the silence by asking, "Have you seen Felicity recently?"

"Yeah, I saw her this morning. And I broke up with Kara, by the way."

"Why?" Lois asked, before Clark could do so.

Oliver looked down at his hands, then answered, "Because I'm still in love with Felicity and she's still in love with Jimmy, so our relationship wasn't fair on either of us. Anyway, I saw Felicity and she told me again that she no longer loves me. And, to add the icing on this wonderfully depressing cake, she is now dating another man."

Frowning, Clark asked who this person was and Oliver replied, sounding very annoyed. "How do you feel about that?"

Sighing, Oliver ran his hands through his hair. "How do you think I feel? I'm in love with her, she doesn't feel the same way about me anymore and she's with somebody else?"

Lois pulled Ben out of his chair and onto her knee. "Oliver, she's your friend, right? If she's happy, then isn't that the main thing? Maybe you have to let her go, it may be the best thing and her and Barry go well together."

"No, I can't let her go. I can't give up," Oliver insisted, "I've only ever loved three women in my life and I've already lost two of them to other man. I-I can't lose Felicity. I love her too much." He remained silent, then his phone buzzed and he stood up. "I gotta go. I'll see you guys later." With that, he stood up and walked out of the house.

Lois and Clark exchanged a look, then Clark pulled his baby daughter on his knee. "He has no choice," Lois observed, "he has to let her go. He can't do anything else, can he? She's with someone else, someone whom may suit her better than him. I know he loves her, but he has to move on. She left him for a reason and we all know that it wasn't really because of some job. There must have been more to it and Oliver must know that, deep down."

Upon arriving at the Queen Industries building, Oliver walked over to his closest security guard and asked, "Do you have any idea what this person was after, Simon?"

"No, Mr. Queen, but we do know that we caught them before they took anything. Oh, and Miss. Lance is waiting in your office. She said that she would very much like an audience with you, Mr. Queen."

Oliver made his way to his office. He opened the door and saw Felicity standing there. He walked past her, took off his jacket and placed it on the back of his chair. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Felicity hesitated for a second before answering, "Oliver, I wanted to tell you that I was seeing Barry, but-well-you didn't give me much of a chance, did you?" When he made no response, she continued, "If you really are in love with me, why are you not more bothered by me dating someone else? Does it really not bother you or are you just pretending that you're ok with it when it's killing you inside? Ok, I'm not going to stand here and talk to a brick wall. Barry and I are going out to dinner." As she began to walk away, Oliver finally looked up from his desk and asked, "Where are you going to dinner? You and Barry, I mean?" His tone was controlled.

Confused, Felicity stared at him, then answered, "Well, actually, we can't find anywhere, but we will." Oliver picked up the phone on his desk and spoke into it for a couple of seconds, before putting it down and informing her, "I've just solved that problem. I've just booked a table for you and Barry at one of the best places in Metropolis. A cab will be at your place to collect you at the 7." His fingers continued to fiddle with the phone as he spoke so that he had something on which to distract him.

Felicity walked over to him, frowning. In a gentle voice, she asked, "Why are you doing this, Oliver? I mean, you're in love with me, you should be trying to sabotage my relationship with Barry, not encourage it. Why are you being so nice?"

Sighing, Oliver looked up at her with his eyes full of sincerity and love. "You're my eldest friend, Felicity. All I want is your happiness and if Barry makes you happy, then I should help you. You're right, I do still love you, but… I have to let you go." Without saying anything, he walked around his desk and pulled her into a hug. He released her quickly and then returned to his work. Felicity stood there in silence, before nodding to herself and leaving the office.

As soon as the door was closed, Oliver rested his head in his hands, trying to focus on something apart from the constant pain in his chest whenever he saw Felicity. He still loved her, but Clark had been right: he had to let her go, no matter how much it broke his heart.

An hour later, Oliver made his way back to Lois and Clark's house, as he wanted to see how Clark was after worrying about his parents for the entire day. Upon entering the house, he walked into the living room where Lois and Clark were sitting together, reading their separate books. This solitude and peace was ended when the front door opened and Clark's mum walked in, with her suitcases in her wake. Lois and Clark stood up, Lois led Martha over to the sofa and sat her down and Clark rested the suitcases against the wall before joining his wife and mum of the sofa. He threw Oliver a look telling him that he wanted him to stay in the room, before turning attention back to his mum. "Mum, what's wrong? Why are you here? Is Dad ok?"

Martha whipped away the tears on her face and in her eyes. "Yes, Clark, your dad is fine. Yesterday, your father told me something. Something that I never thought I would hear from Johnathan Kent… He's been having an affair, Clark, with Nell Potter, Lana's aunt." There was a dead silence and both Lois and Oliver could see the devastation in Clark's face. Lois was the first one to recover from the shock and she asked, "For how long, Mrs. K?"

"5 years," Martha answered through gritted teeth, "I swear I hate him. He told me that he loves her in a way that he's never loved me, because she was his first love. I've left him, Clark. I was wondering if I could stay with you and Lois for a while. I haven't told Tess or Conner yet."

All Clark could do was to that question was nod, as he had lost the ability to speak. Lois threw Oliver a look, so he stood up and asked, "Mrs. Kent, how about I take your things up to the guest room? Get you settled in?"

Despite her anger, Martha managed to smile. "Thank you, Oliver. You're very kind." She went out of the room and Oliver followed, closing the door behind himself.

As soon as the door was closed and Martha was upstairs, Clark looked at Lois and began to cry. He was crying for his mum, crying for what he had always believed and cried because his childish dreams of the kind of man his man had been, his hero, had been shattered. He moved closer to Lois on the sofa and fell into her arms, hiding his face in her jumper. Lois held him in her own shaking arms. She kissed his head and murmured reassuring words over again and again. She did not understand his pain, but she knew that he needed to feel safe and loved and that was why she was there. In spite of all of the main of his mum's revelation, Clark felt safe in Lois's arms and he knew that he always would.


	10. Chapter 9: Therapy

**I do not own Smallville. Please, read and review:)**

Chapter 9: Therapy.

A week passed and Clark still had not spoken to his mum properly, as he was afraid that he would not be able to cope. Martha had called Tess and Conner and told both of them. They had both threatened to talk to their father, but she had told them not to get involved. On a Monday morning, whist Lois was feeding the twins, Clark sat down next to his mum in the living room and asked, "Do you have any idea what you're going to do?"

Martha nodded and sipped her cup of coffee. "Yes, I have, Clark. I'm going to find a flat in Metropolis, hire a lawyer and ask your father for a divorce."

Clark stared at his mum in shock and exclaimed, "Mum, you can't divorce Dad! You really can't! You've been married for so long. How can you be so willing to give up on Dad, on the man whom you married and love more than anything else?"

It was now Martha's turn to stare at her elder son in shock at that he had just said. Sighing, she replied, "Sweetie, no matter how much I love your father, I cannot remained married to him. He broke his wedding vows, he cheated on me."

"Have you spoken to him? Given him a chance to explain himself?" Clark was desperate to keep his parents' marriage together, despite what his dad had done. Martha shook her head, "Clark, I can never trust him again and a marriage without trust is.. a broken one. I love him and he may still love me, but I can't stay married to him. Deep down, in your heart, I know you understand that. I did your father a chance to explain himself and he came out with the most cliché lines, so as far as I'm concerned, our marriage is over and… the worst part is he didn't even try to defend his actions to me." There was a long silence, then she stood up. "I'm going to start flat-shopping." She kissed her son on the head with a sad smile, then left the room.

Feeling frustrated and defeated, Clark made his way into the kitchen, where Lois was wiping down Jane's front. "Someone had a little accident. Smallville, will you help me here?" When she received no response, she looked up and saw the defeat and upset in her husband's eyes. "Clark, what's wrong?"

Clark sat down at the table next to his twins. "I told my mum not to divorce my dad, despite everything he's done, but I know that she's going to anyway. I guess… I'm still struggling with this and them divorcing will make all of this real. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that, I want my dad to be the hero I thought he was."

Lois wrapped her arms around him and she murmured, "He can still be your hero. He is your dad, after all."

"No, Lois. He can't be. I believed that my dad was one of the best men in the entire world. I used to believe that my mum and dad had the perfect marriage, that they would be together forever, but I guess I was wrong." He finally let himself relax in Lois's arms and he closed his eyes, feeling safe and loved. He kissed her hair before closing his eyes again, wishing that he could wish away all of his's pain and his dad's cheating. He had thought that his dad loved his mum, but maybe love was not always enough. Lois rested her head on his shoulders, hoping that her comfort and her love would stir Clark through this hard time. She knew that, as a child, he had been closer to his dad, whilst Conner and Tess had been closer to their mum and that might have been another reason why Clark was taking this news so badly.

Their thoughts were distracted by the door opening and Tess and Lex walked in, with Alexander and James in their wake. Tess hugged her brother and then walked out of the room, in search of her mum. Lex turned his attention to his sons and told them to go and play in the living room, indicating to Lois and Clark that he wanted to talk to her. He really wanted to just talk to Clark, but he also knew that whatever he told Clark, Lois would find out, as there were no secrets between them. Before Lex could open his mouth, Tess returned and said, "I need to ask you something-well, we need to ask you something. We are thinking of going to see a marriage counsellor and we were wondering if the two of you could watch the boys when we do?"

Lois and Clark were silent for a couple of seconds, before the latter recovered and nodded. "Yeah… sure. Erm, have you already booked an appointment?" Tess and Lex glanced at each other for a second, then Tess shook her head. "No, we haven't. But we're going to get it booked. We'll find a counsellor and book it, won't we?" In response, Lex just nodded numbly.

Sensing the tension between his sister and her husband, Clark suggested that he and Lex made their way to work, as they had a pile of work to do. He hugged Lois goodbye, kissed goodbye the twins and threw Lois a fleeting look before leading Lex out of the house and his stomach moved in a happy way when Lois blushed. As Clark drove to work, he texted Oliver, asking him if he knew of any good marriage counsellors.

Once at work, Clark dropped his belongings in his office and left to buy himself a coffee, as he had not had one this morning. When he returned, he found Lex in his office, with his mobile phone in his hands. "Do you make a habit of looking at my phone?" Clark asked, in a joking manner, but he was annoyed.

Lex looked up at him and replied, "Oliver Queen's got back to you-he's given you a name of a… marriage shrink. Why the heck did you ask him?"

"If this is about the petty rivalry which is between the two of you, I'm really not interested." Clark snapped, as he picked up his phone and sat down at his desk. Lex walked over to him and replied, in the same tone, "Well, it isn't Clark. I thought I could trust you, you're my friend and brother-in-law! How could you ask Queen that question? I don't want everybody to know about my martial problems with Tess."

Sighing, Clark remarked, "Lex, attending marriage counselling shouldn't be embarrassing; it's proof that you're trying to make your marriage work. There's nothing wrong with that."

Lex glared at him. "Yes, but Queen is an old boyfriend of Tess. What if he works out that I've cheated on her, what if he tells Tess? What would I do then?" He paused, then added, "I never thought I'd be here. I never thought I'd become my father- I always told myself that, if I was ever lucky enough to marry, I would be faithful to my wife. I guess I broke that promise."

"You're not still… seeing Lana, are you? And this is me asking as your friend, not as Tess's brother." Clark looked into Lex's eyes and saw his answer in there, but he also saw so much confusion in his eyes. Before he could ask any more questions, Lex walked out of the office, leaving Clark wondering what his friend and brother-in-law was going to do next. He was relieved that Lex wanted to make his marriage work, but he also received the feeling that he blamed Tess for the failures of their marriage.

Lois arrived at Chloe and Jimmy's house and let herself in. The two young women hugged, before letting their children play together, as they had not seen each other since Christmas. "How's Clark holding up, after finding out that about his dad?"

Lois sighed. "Not well, cuz. He loves his dad so much and this has shattered the perfect idea he had of his dad, which I can understand. All I can do is be as supportive as possible, just be there for him." She shook her head, "Anyway, how are you and Jimmy?"

"We're fine, thanks. I'm going to ask Ollie if he can take care of Nicky for a couple of nights so that Jimmy and I can have some time together." Chloe smiled and blushed more to herself than to her cousin. She saw Lois frown and she asked, "What is it?"

Biting her lip, Lois asked, "Have you told Jimmy that you had a one-night stand with another guy a couple of days before you were with him?"

The smile vanished from Chloe's face and Lois could almost see her defences going up. "No, he doesn't need to know."

"Really? I think that Clark would be pretty angry if he would out that I hadn't told him something like that!"

"You told Clark?" Chloe stared at her, resisting the urge to shout at her cousin.

Lois nodded and smiled sadly. "Yes, Clark and I tell each other everything. We always have and we always will." She paused, then asked again, "Why won't you tell Jimmy?"

Chloe looked down at her hands. "It happened over a year ago, I'm married to Jimmy. Telling him would break his heart. There's no point in dragging up the past because it doesn't affect us. Besides, I'm not lying to him. I've never lied to him-any marriage which begins with lies is doomed to fail. I love him so much, Lois, and if I told him, his heart would be broken and for what? For me to have a clear conscience? It wouldn't be worth it, Lois, and it would break his heart. That night meant nothing to me, but when I'm with Jimmy, it's different because we love each other. It actually means something." There was a long silence, then Lois had to leave to change the twins. As she left, she remembered that she still had no idea who the man was with whom Chloe had had a one-night stand.

That evening, Tess and Lex dropped Alexander and James at Lois and Clark's before making their way to see the marriage counsellor. He was bald man in his early-fifties with a beard and glasses. He also had a Southern American accent. Tess and Lex sat down on the chairs, which were next to each other and Tess was tempted to move her chair away from Lex's, but she feared that this action would be noticed by both men, so she remained where she was. The first question sounded like a simple one, but both Tess and Lex knew that it had ammunition: "So, how long have the two of you been married and do you have any kids?"

Tess was about to reply, but Lex began speaking before her. "We have been married for 10 years. We first met when we were 18 at university and became friends. We got together when we were 24 and married shortly after that. We had our first son the same year, Alexander, he's 10. We also have James, who's 4."

"Was your relationship a first for both of you?"

Tess avoided looking Lex in the eye and he was doing the same thing with her, because he was afraid that if he spoke about Lana, she would be able to tell that there was something wrong. Much to his relief, Tess answered the question first, replying that she had had her first boyfriend at 22 and that she had ended the relationship a couple of weeks prior to beginning a relationship with Lex; she did not provide the man with Oliver's name, as she knew that that would be unfair. Lex's response was that he had had a couple of girlfriends in boarding school and at university, but that none of them had been serious. Tess knew that that was a lie and she must have expressed her emotions on her face, because she saw the counsellor giving her a pointed look. He smiled at her as he asked the two of them the next question, "What do you both do for a living?"

This time, Tess answered before her husband had a chance to do so. "Well, Lex works for LuthorCorp and works with people at Queen Industries so that the two companies cooperate with each other as best they can. I-I don't work, I just stay at home and look after the kids and the house."

"That's work, too." remarked the counsellor, to which Tess just smiled.

There was a slight pause, then Lex observed, "Tess is amazing with the boys. She's a fantastic mother, she loves them so much. It's amazing." Despite what he was saying was positive, there was a negative edge to his voice which both Tess and the counsellor heard, so the latter inquired, "So, what's your relationship with your sons like?" He guessed that this was a key issue in their relationship, so he wanted to explore it and see how Lex responded.

Lex glanced at Tess before he answered "Well, I love them both very much, but I have to work so much, so I don't get to see them as much as I would like to." "Do you think that maybe you had your first child too soon? I mean, you said yourselves that your first son was born the same year you married, so you think that meant that you didn't have enough time alone as a married couple?"

Tess sighed, deciding to be honest as this man was trying to help them. "Alexander wasn't planned for, so yes, it did mean that we had less time together. My brother and his wife together were married for five years before they had their kids and I think that gave them time to be together. But James was planned for, because we wanted Alexander to have a little brother or sister. I mean, who doesn't want that for their child?" She was beginning to become annoyed with her own words, as it sounded as if she were trying to justify why they had two children together. Once again, she saw the man's eyes on her, before he asked, "So, what do the two of you think are the main problems in your marriage, relationship?"

Tess could feel Lex tense beside of her and he let go of her hand, which made her heart ache. She also knew that he was going to speak first. "Well, the thing is, I come home from a day at work and Tess is looking after the kids and doing a very good job of it, but she always blows me off. And in the evening, when I want us to spend time together, she always claims to be too tired and that-that hurts."

"That isn't an excuse, it's because I really am tired, Lex!" Tess snapped, glad that he had said that to another person besides her. She turned to her husband and, much to her surprise, she saw hurt and pain in his eyes. He sighed and remarked, "How's that supposed to make me feel, Tess? I makes me feel as if you don't find me attractive in that way anymore and that hurts, more than I can express."

Shaking her head, Tess whispered, "Maybe you would understand if you listened to me, Lex. You know I love you. I always have and I always will, so just because I don't want to be with you in that way doesn't mean that I don't want to be your wife! Do you remember what you said to me months ago? You said that I only married you to have kids."

"What else am I supposed to think?" Lex asked, raising his voice. "We've barley been together since we had James and that was four years ago."

"What do you want me to say, Lex?" Tess raised her eyes to meet his. "What do you want me to do about this? How are you going to fix our marriage because we can't go on living like this! If we do… I don't think I'll be able to stand it." There were now tears in her eyes and that made Lex realise how much she was hurting, because Tess very rarely cried.

He sighed and asked, "Are you saying that this is my fault?"

Wiping away her tears, Tess replied in a whisper, "No, it's the fault of both of us, Lex. And we have to sort it out in order to save our marriage." There was a long silence in which time the two of them stared at each other, trying to work out what to say to the other which would make their pain go away, but neither could think of anything. After this silence, the counsellor dismissed them and told them to return in a month and with that, Tess stood up and Lex followed her and they walked back to their car in silence.

Meanwhile, Lois and Clark were sitting in front of the fire, watching Alexander and James sleeping on the sofa. "I can't believe that Tess and Lex have got to this stage," Clark murmured, "having to talk to a stranger about their marriage. Even Chloe and Jimmy didn't do that."

Lois ran her hands through her hair and then squeezed Clark's hands. "It's sad that… they love each other and they have kids together, but their marriage is falling apart. They're the only ones who can fix it and I don't think that Lex is accustomed to cleaning up the mess which he creates."

"Do you think Lex is to blame?"

Shaking her head, Lois replied, "I don't think anyone's to blame, Smallville," she rested her head on his shoulders, "I think it takes two people to damage a marriage. I mean, look at Chloe and Jimmy, for example. Jimmy's main insecurity is Chloe's reasons for marrying him and those wouldn't be there if they talked about it. And Chloe keeping secrets from him will have ramifications at some point, I can guarantee. In my opinion, both Tess and Lex and Chloe and Jimmy married too quickly and had kids too soon."

Clark kissed Lois on the head, which made them both smile, before he agreed with her. "I agree. I mean, Alexander was born the same year Tess and Lex got married and they married a couple of months after they started dating. They really rushed it. I wonder if that was because they feared that the other would change their mind. And Chloe and Jimmy's relationship moved far too quickly and Nicky was born about 9 months after their marriage." He chuckled to himself, before remarking with a loving smile, "You and I were the sensible ones, Lois: we were friends for two years before we got together, we got engaged and married after dating for 5 years and we waited for five years until we had the twins. And, we waited until the right time before we… made love. We knew that we loved each other."

Raising her head, Lois smiled and murmured, "Yes, we did. We took our time, as we agreed we would when we began dating, and now I would say that we're the happiest couple out of the three of us. We argue of course, but that's normal. The fact that we were friends first helped a great deal, I think."

"It meant that we already knew each other's flaws." Clark smiled, stroking his wife's hair. Resting her head against his hand, Lois replied, "And each other's strengths. My strength is you, Clark Kent."

Looking into her eyes, Clark whispered, " _Ditto_ , Lois Lane." With that, they kissed passionately and closed their eyes, enjoying being together in that way without being interrupted by their babies. As they sat up after a while, Lois remarked, "Speaking of friendship first, I have always thought that Chloe and Oliver would work well together."

Clark nodded. "I thought that when they first met-there was a spark between them. I'm glad that they're best friends now, they understand each other in a way that other people don't."

"An understanding which you and I always have of each other," Lois remarked, thinking about what she was saying, "do you think that maybe, Chloe and Oliver, like you and I, could be soulmates?"

Staring at her in disbelief, Clark shook his head. "How could they be? They've never dated."

"Clark, think about it. A soul mate is a best friend, someone who knows you better than anyone in the world. Think about it-it suits their relationship; they're best friends and they have an understanding of each other which is like the understanding you and I have of each other. And a soul mate doesn't have to be someone whom you've dated. You don't believe me, do you?"

Smiling to himself, Clark shook his head, "No, for once I don't, Lois. I don't think that Oliver and Chloe are soul mates nor do I think that they will ever be anything more than friends. Chloe's married to Jimmy and she loves him and Oliver's still in love with Felicity. They could never love each, as brother and sister yes, but not in that way."

His wife smiled too, as she observed, "I think, Smallville, that if it weren't for Jimmy and Felicity being around, they would be together-or close to it. They suit each other."

"I really don't think they do. I mean, I know that Oliver was in love with her, but Chloe sees him as a friend, and nothing more. I think, in another life, they would be together, but they aren't and they never will be."

"Do you want to bet on it?"

Clark stared at her. "Did you just ask me if I want to bet if my best friend and your cousin will get together?"

"Yeah-in two years," Lois smiled mischievously, "are you going to take the bet or are you too scared that you'll lose to your wife?" Clark threw her an annoyed, but loving look and was about to reply, when there was a knock on the door and Clark went to answer it. It was Tess and Lex and Clark could see the tears in Tess's eyes and the frustration in Lex's. Luckily, Lois walked over to the door and asked, "How did it go, Tess?" She addressed Tess, because she was not keen on Lex since discovering that he had cheated on his wife several times.

Tess did not reply, instead she walked into the living room and asked how the boys had been. Her brother answered that they had both been very well behaved. Tess picked up James and carried him to the car and Lex did the same with Alexander. With that, they thanked Lois and Clark and left, driving away in silence.

Clark closed the door, then turned back to Lois and began, "Now, about that bet? I will take it, but first I think you and I need to have some time together." He pulled Lois into his arms and they kissed passionately. After their kiss ended, he picked her up in his arms so that their eyes were level and he carried her to the sofa. There, she lay down and he lay next to her, with their heads resting against each other. "I love you." They whispered to the other at the same time, causing them to smile with love in their eyes, before resuming their kissing…

Once home, Tess and Lex put their sons to bed, before Tess quickly made her way to their bedroom to change. When Lex walked in a couple of minutes later, Tess was lying in their bed, smiling at him. She walked over to him, with a certain look in her eyes. "Lex Luthor, would you like to…spend some time together?" She leaned closer and began to kiss him, but when he did not kiss her back, she pulled away, frowning. "What's wrong? I thought this was what you wanted?"

Looking into her eyes with anger, Lex replied, "I'm really tired, Lutessa, so I'll pass tonight." He walked past her and collected his pyjamas from under his pillow. Not looking at her, he told her that he would sleep on the sofa. As he walked past her and out of their room, Tess felt as if she had been physically smacked in the face. Fighting back tears, she almost fell into her bed and buried her face into her pillow so that he would not hear her crying. Downstairs, Lex did hear and the very sound of it broke his heart.

The next morning, Lex woke up at 6:00, had his breakfast and left for work before Tess was awake. The guilt of how he had treated her the previous night was weighing on him like a giant burden and the only person with whom he could discuss it was Clark, even though he knew that whatever he told Clark would find its way to Lois also.

As Lois and Clark began to have their breakfast at 6:30, their front door opened and Jimmy walked inside. "Hey, Jimmy, what's up?" Clark asked, as he began to eat his own breakfast.

"Nothing, C.K. Well, I was wondering if maybe you could put in a good word with me with Oliver. My boss has told me that I'm taking pictures for Queen Industries. I've never really talked to the guy and I can't ask Chloe, 'cause she's really busy, so can I ask you? I would mean a lot to me, C.K. I know that Chloe works for the company too, but asking her for help would be a bit…weird, especially considering that Oliver's her best friend."

Clark glanced at his wife and he nodded. "I'll see what I can do, Jimmy. I also work for the company, so I may be able to help you anyway." He paused, before inquiring, "How are you and Chloe doing?" He received a 'I will kill you later' look from Lois, but he ignored it.

A smile fell across Jimmy's face as he replied, "We're great, thanks, CK. We had a long talk and we've resolved our problems. To be honest I think the main problem was me not having enough faith in our relationship. I love her more than I can express and she feels the same way-we'll never be as solid as you two, but who is? She and Nicky are the best parts of my life."

"That sounds like a song." Oliver remarked, as he walked into the kitchen. "Maybe you should write it, dedicate it to Chloe, that would be very romantic." He smiled, fully aware that Jimmy did not really know him and, therefore, would have no idea if he was joking or not.

Jimmy nodded, very nervous. "Yeah, thanks, I'll give that a go. I'm sorry, I've never really spoken to you before, Oliver." Lois and Clark glanced at each other, aware of the irony that two of the most important men in Chloe's life did not really know each other. Before Jimmy could say anything else, Oliver said, "Chloe told me that your boss wants you to take some photos of my company. Come to my office later and I'll tell you what to do." Jimmy smiled a smile of thanks, then left to go home and see Chloe and Nicolas before going to work.

Lois kissed her daughter on the head as she fed her and Ben. "That was a very kind thing to say, Oliver. To make Jimmy feel less nervous."

Oliver smiled back, before picking up Ben and playing with him, so that Clark could eat his breakfast in peace and so that Lois could focus on feeding one baby at a time. Clark smiled and remarked, "You're so good with the kids, Oliver, you'll make a great day someday."

Just then, Martha walked into the kitchen and helped herself to breakfast. "Hello, Oliver." She smiled, before turning her attention to her son and daughter-in-law. "I've just got off the phone and my rent on a flat on the next road begins tomorrow. Your father and I have to be living separately for a while before we divorce, you see, that's why I can't divorce him straight away."

Clark bit his lip and asked, "Mum, have you spoken to Dad? I mean, since all of this happened?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Oliver carry Ben into the sitting room, as he felt as if he were intruding upon a family matter.

Martha nodded. "Yes, I have, and we have agreed that it's the best thing to: he loves Nell more than me and there's no point in him staying married to me when he's in love with someone else." She paused, then added, "I haven't told Tess yet, because of everything that's going on in her life at the moment. I'll tell her when things have settled down at bit." She picked up her bowl of cereal and returned to her bedroom. Lois sighed and remarked, "I don't think there's much chance of it settling down."

Nodding, Clark kissed Jane on the head as he stood up and put on his jacket. "Could you speak to Tess today? She may be more likely to open up to you more than me? I'll try to talk to Lex, try to find out what happened last night." He smiled, then added, "Oh, and I love you." He and Lois kissed, then he said goodbye to Ben and Oliver, before leaving for work. Oliver walked back into the kitchen, with Ben in his arms.

Lois smiled at the sight of her son being so comfortable in Oliver's arms. "Clark's right, you are great with kids and babies. I heard you saw Felicity about a week ago? How is she?"

Sighing, Oliver replied, "She's fine and she-she's happy with Barry. I still love her, Lois, but she doesn't feel the same way and she's with somebody else. Ironically, she ended our relationship because she thought that I wasn't committed to our relationship and I had bought her an engagement ring. She begged me to tell her that I didn't love her anymore, but I told her that I couldn't lie to her… I can't blame her for moving on, I know, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"Is that why you ended your relationship with Kara, because of Felicity?"

Oliver nodded. "Yes, because if I can't be with Felicity, I don't want to be with anyone. She knows how I feel, so I can't do anything more than that." He paused, then asked, "Were you afraid of… letting yourself love Clark?"

Kissing Jane on the head Lois answered, "Before we were together, when we just best friends, I was in love with him and that terrified me, because I didn't want to risk loosing his friendship. But then, he kissed me and we began dating and suddenly, I wasn't afraid and when we declared our love for each other, it was right. I knew that he was the one for me. I guess a part of me had always known, deep down." She paused, then added, "I don't think that Tess and Lex are the one for each other."

"I agree, I don't think they're meant to be together."

Lois smiled sadly as she remarked, "You don't have a good time with other guys, do you? Tess dumped you for Lex, you were in love with Chloe and she married Jimmy and now Felicity is with Barry and you still love her. Maybe you're cursed."

Oliver shook his head. "No, I think it's more a case of I push them away, so they go to other people. That's why I'll always be alone." Before Lois could say something, he was called to work. He kissed Ben and Jane, then left the house, leaving Lois feeling very sorry for him, but what she had said had been true: he had lost Tess to Lex, Chloe to Jimmy and now Felicity to Barry. She did not know if he had loved Tess, but she did know that he had loved Chloe and he still loved Felicity.

A couple of hours later, Lois took Jane and Ben to the park and met Chloe there. Chloe had the day off, so she wanted to spend time with both her son and cousin. Tess joined them, with James in her arms, saying that he was sick, but the reality was that she did not want to be alone today. "So, how's the counselling going?" Chloe inquired. Lois threw her a look, but, like Clark, she ignored it.

Tess looked down at her son who was playing with Nicolas and sighed. "Well, it was good. We expressed all of the feelings which we'd been bottling up, or at least, that's what I keep saying myself." She paused, then explained, "After we went home, I tried to… do what he said he'd wanted, but he rejected me, telling me that he was too tired and he went downstairs to sleep on the sofa. And he called me by my full name, Lex never does that unless he's angry. Both of us are at fault for this and I was the one who suggesting counselling, because we can't keep living like this. We have to fix our marriage, but I don't know how to do that if he won't let me in." There was a silence, then she asked Chloe, "Did you and Jimmy not go through counselling during your separation?"

"No, we didn't really see each other," Chloe answered, "and, to be honest, the time apart made us realise how much we meant to each other and how stupid we were being. We had a long talk and resolved everything. Maybe you and Lex should try that, Tess."

"The counsellor asked about the kids and when we had them. I think that having Alexander so soon after our marriage was a mistake, but we agreed that it was the right thing. I think that we are both different people not, trapped with another person whom we don't really know." She was silent for a long time, before finally whispering, "We have to work it out. There has to be a way." Lois and Chloe exchanged a look, aware that Tess did not know of Lex's affairs and they were filled with dread to think of how she would react if she were to ever find out. Both Lois and Chloe pulled their children close to themselves, as if to remind themselves of how lucky they were.

When Clark finally arrived at work after being in a traffic jam for ages, he made his way to Lex's office so that he would speak to his friend about the previous night. As he entered the office, he saw that Lex was sitting at his desk, staring blankly at the wall. "Lex, are you ok?" Clark sat down in the chair opposite his friend, hoping that he would open up to him.

Sighing, Lex answered, "No, I'm not ok. Tess and I went to see the guy and… I still feel the same way. She obviously doesn't see me in that way anymore and yet, she-she's saying that the problems we're having are the fault of both of us. How can that be? She's the one who pulled away from me first and then, last night, I pulled away from her, and now she'll be in a mood with me."

"Have you told her about the affairs?"

Lex shook his head. "No. She would never forgive me if I told her and.. I can't blame her and the kids wouldn't forgive me either." There was a long silence, then in a gentle tone, he asked, "Clark, you still love Lois, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Clark replied in a whisper, "I always have and will."

Chuckling darkly, Lex nodded. "I think that's what my problem is… Clark, I don't think I love her anymore." Clark stared at him in shock and did not know what to say. What could be said to that?

That evening, by the time Lex returned home, Alexander and James were in bed, and Tess was lying in bed, reading. Slowly, Lex took off his coat, dropped his bag and walked upstairs. He stood in the doorframe, watching her. He knew that she knew that he was there, but he did not care. After a while of silence, Lex walked over to the bed. "I'm sorry for being so short with you last night, Tess. You didn't deserve that. Please, say something."

Tess looked up from her book. "You don't understand how much pain you're causing me, Lex. How did we become this couple? How did we get here, Lex? More, importantly, how do we get back?" Before she could say more, Lex embraced her in a passionate kiss. Tess pulled away, glaring at him with tears in her eyes. Her eyes searched his, before she murmured, "I love you, Lex." She kissed him back and they remained there, enjoying being close to each other in that way. It did not fix their problems, but at least it was some attempt at getting their marriage back to normal.

Meanwhile, Clark was standing in the twins' bedrooms, watching them sleep. Lois walked in and wrapped her arms around her husband as she said, "I could watch them all day, every day. Did you speak to Lex?"

Sighing, Clark nodded. "Yeah, I did. He said that-he said that he isn't sure if he loves Tess anymore. How can he even think that?" He turned around to face Lois and put a hand on her face. "I'll always love you, you know that?"

Lois smiled and whispered, "Smallville, you don't even have to tell me that." She leaned her face closer to his and they kissed, before resting their heads against the others, listening to each other and their babies breathing. They wrapped their arms around each other, because together, they felt complete and whole.


	11. Chapter 10: Changes

**I do not own Smallville. Please, read and review:). Clois all the way!:):)**

 **Chapter 10: Changes.**

A couple of weeks passed and Martha moved into her flat, which was only a ten-minute walk away from Lois and Clark's house. She seemed to be perfectly happy there, but she had not been happy when she had discovered that Nell had moved into the house in which she and Johnathan had lived for years and raised their children. Martha refused to talk to Tess, as she did not want to cause her anymore pain, but she did talk to Lois, as she trusted her and she also knew that whatever she told Lois, Clark would soon know. That had been the kind of marriage she and Johnathan had had, before everything had gone wrong. None of their children had spoken to their father since the discovery of his infidelity. Lois had tried to persuade Clark to speak to Johnathan, as Oliver had, but he had not listened to either of them; as far as he and Tess were concerned, their father had not just betrayed their mum, he had betrayed what they had held dear as a family and both were unforgivable. Clark did not blame Nell, but it did not surprise him, considering that Lana had been Lex's mistress in the past. Lois and Clark still could not believe what Lex had told Clark, regarding his relationship with Tess, but they also knew that it was none of their business, so they could do nothing to ease the pain of either party.

It was a Wednesday morning and Clark arrived at work early, as he and Lois had a plan to watch a film together after work, as long as Jane and Ben would sleep long enough for that to happen. Much to his surprise, he found Lex sitting at his desk. Wondering why he was there, he took off his jacket and asked his friend if he was alright, assuming that he and Tess had had another fight.

Lex sighed, then answered, "My father has offered me a managerial post at LuthorCorp, which I'm very tempted to accept. I would no longer be his lapdog or the person who tries to convince Queen that LuthorCorp sometimes has better ideas than them."

Sitting down on the edge of his desk, Clark asked, "So, what's the problem? If it would help you to get out of your father's shadow, why aren't you jumping at the chance?"

"Because of you, Clark," Lex replied in a solemn tone, looking at his best friend, "I've worked with you for five years here and I've known you for far longer and I want to keep working with you. We make a good team. That's why I haven't accepted it yet…" There was a short silence, then Lex smiled, "Why don't you get a job at LuthorCorp? All of your skills are transferable, so you could quit working for Queen and come and work for me, at LuthorCorp and it would be better paid."

Clark shook his head. "I couldn't do that, Lex. I'm sorry."

Lex rolled his eyes and snapped, "Why? Because you're best buddies with Queen all of a sudden? Clark, you've known me for far longer and you trust me more-and don't deny that! I tell you everything and I can grantee that he's hiding things. Has he ever told you about how his parents died? What kind of friend can he be if he hasn't told you his secrets?"

"I trust Oliver and I know that he can't talk about his parents."

"Clark, they died when he was 10! Of course he can talk about them!" Lex stood up, with anger and frustration in his eyes. "You've been so blinded by his supposed-friendship that you can't see what's right in front of you. Oliver Queen doesn't have friends-they're always a means to an end! Think about that!" With that, he stormed out of Clark's office, leaving his friend both annoyed and curious. With that in mind, he typed Oliver's name into the search engine, to see what was on his page: Born in Star City, was home-schooled by his mother until he was 6, then he had attended Star City Primary School, then a secondary school, then at the age of 9, he had been sent to Excelsior and on his tenth birthday, his parents had died in a plane accident.

At lunchtime, Clark recited this information and his conversation with Lex to Lois at the end of which she shook her head and remarked, slightly displeased with him, "Clark, Oliver has been nothing more than a loyal friend to you for the past 13 years. You've known him even longer than you've known me. How can you even be considering Lex's offer?"

Clark sighed, unhappy with her tone. "Lex is my friend too and he's offered me better money and better hours."

"The Clark Lane-Kent I know wouldn't be bothered about that and the Luthors have very murky ethical business practices. Besides, is it any surprise that Oliver hasn't opened up to you, I mean, if you'd been orphaned, would you tell everyone about it? I don't think so." She sighed and took hold of his hand. "Smallville, I know that Lex is your friend and brother-in-law, but it would be unfair to walk away from Oliver now, just because Lex has given you reason to doubt. If you're really considering this-and you are made if you indeed are-then talk to Oliver about it. You owe him at least that much." She looked into her husband's eyes and finally saw recognition. He nodded, in defeat, then kissed her before making his way back to work.

Walking to Oliver's office, he knocked and waited to be invited in, which he was to find Oliver typing furiously on his laptop. "Computer troubles?" Clark asked, trying to ease the tension and guilt which was building up inside of him. "Yeah, I'll call Chloe tomorrow, get it fixed," Oliver sighed and closed his laptop with a thud, "what's up, Clark? Why are you here?"

Clark remained at the door for a couple of seconds, before walking further into the office. "Lex's father has offered him a job at LuthorCorp, a good, top post and he's thinking of taking it."

Oliver smiled. "Good. I have no idea why my shareholders feel there has to be peace between my company and the Luthors." He paused for a second, then asked, "With all due respect, Clark, you know that I don't care about Lex, so why are you telling me this?"

Ignoring the guilt, Clark answered, "Lex asked me if I'd like to go and work for LuthorCorp, work for him-with him, I mean. It's very good money and better hours."

Staring at him in shock, Oliver finally regained feeling and stood up. "You can't actually be considering his proposal? You can't actually be considering leaving Queen Industries to go to LuthorCorp?"

"I wasn't considering it until Lex reminded me of a few things," Clark retorted in an icy cold voice, as the guilt began to build up inside of him even more, "he reminded me that you've never been completely honest with me about your past. Why didn't you tell me that you were home-schooled until you were 6?"

Oliver's face changed and Clark could almost see the barriers building up aroid him. "I don't know-maybe because it's none of your business! Do you tell me everything that happened in your childhood, every little detail? Do I expect you to? No, because you're my friend and I trust and care for you and you should feel the same way!"

There was a long silence, then Clark asked in a quiet voice, "What really happened to your parents, Oliver? How did they die? All of the information I've ever read just says that it was a plane accident. Is that the truth?" Seeing the pain in his friend's eyes, the overwhelming feeling of guilt returned and he realised that he had no right to ask Oliver that question.

Oliver turned away from Clark and leaned against the window, resting his head against the pane. Clark stayed still and silent, unsure if Oliver was going to shout at him and tell him to leave his office. Inhaling a deep breathe, Oliver began in a shaky voice, "It was my tenth birthday. They sent me to Excelsior when I was 9, to keep me safe. They-they'd received threats and they didn't want to risk loosing me, so that's why they sent me away. I didn't understand it at the time… They collected me from the front gates and led to me to the runaway nearby, where their jet was. My mum and dad went in and told me to stay outside because they were sorting something out. The next second, the"- Oliver broke off and Clark could tell that he was fighting back tears, so he walked closer to his friend-"the next second, the jet exploded and it caught fire. The blast pushed me away and deafened me in my right ear. My mum and dad were in the jet. I tried to get to them, but my head teacher stopped me and I fainted in his arms. The next thing I remember is waking up in my room at Excelsior and Mr. Reynolds telling me that my parents were dead. I already knew that, I guessed, I'd seen them… die, but he was the one who told me and… I can still remember it to this very day."

Clark sighed to himself. "So, that's how you knew which counsellor Tess and Lex should see, because you've had counselling yourself?"

Turning to face him, Oliver nodded. "Yeah, I have. I have PTSD, Clark. You're the second person whom I've told."

"Who else knows?" Clark asked, wondering whom else Oliver would have confided this information in.

With a sad smile, his friend replied in a whisper, "Chloe. With everything she went through with her mother's mental health, in a weird way, I knew that she would understand." He paused, before adding, "Felicity knows, too. She was my friend at the time of my parents' death and she was the one who finally persuaded me to speak to a shrink. Clark, if you really want to work with Lex for LuthorCorp, that's fine. Just think about it and talk it over with Lois." He walked back to his desk, sat down and bowed his head between his hands, which Clark took as his cue to leave the office, so he did and made his way back to his own office, wondering why Oliver had decided to tell him then. He also wondered why Oliver had told Chloe before he had told him, considering that they were very good friends.

That evening, when Clark arrived home, he and Lois sat together, held each other in their arms and Clark told her everything that Oliver had told him. As he told her the story, she rested her head on his shoulder. After he was finished, they decided to watch a film. As they the film was still running, Lois rested her head against Clark's and she closed her eyes. At the end of the film, Clark saw that she was asleep, looking very peaceful besides him. Very carefully, he picked her up, carried her upstairs and laid her down in their bed, throwing the covers over her so that she was warm; he then went to check that the twins were okay. Upon returning into his and Lois's bedroom, he changed into his PJs, climbed into bed, kissing Lois on the check, then turned out the light and held her as he fell asleep.

The next morning, Lois was the first to awake and she was not surprised that she was still wearing her PJs. Before she had time to kiss Clark away, Jane began to cry, so she left their bedroom to feed Jane; she carried the twins downstairs and fed them there, so that they would not disturb Clark. As she began to make her own breakfast, the front door opened and Oliver walked into the house. "Hey, Lois. Need a hand?" He indicated to Ben, who still wanted to have some more food. Lois nodded, smiling, and Oliver sat down at the table with Ben on his knee. "So, how's Clark?" he asked. He knew that his friend would have told Lois everything, including Lex's job offer and his personal revelations of the previous day.

"He's fine, thanks. Just tired," Lois answered, as she began to pour her own breakfast into a bowl, "I don't think he'll take up Lex's offer. He has too much loyalty to you to do that."

Kissing Ben on the head, Oliver sighed, "He's considering it though, isn't he? Or at least, he was when I last saw him?" Lois was silent, trying to work out how much to say what she wanted to say. "I think… he's confused about the fact that you didn't tell him everything when Chloe already knew. I think that upsets him." She paused, then asked, "You're my cousin's best friend, so do you know who Chloe had a one-night stand with?"

Oliver looked up at his friend in shock. "Chloe had a one-night stand? When and with whom?"

"A couple of days before she was with Jimmy and I don't know who. She only told me recently. I thought that, if she'd told anyone, it would be you. You tell each other everything-well, almost everything. You don't know who the guy was?"

Shaking his head, Oliver answered, "Sorry, Lois. I'm as much in the dark as you are. The one thing Chloe and I do not discuss is our relationships."

Lois raised her eyebrows and murmured, "Well, that's a relief, considering you were in love with her." Either Oliver did not hear her comment, or he ignored it, but Lois's thoughts were interrupted when Clark walked into the room. He kissed Jane and Ben on the head, then leaned down next to her and whispered, "Morning, sleeping beauty."

Blushing, Lois replied in the same tone, "Morning, Prince Charming." They smiled at each other and began to kiss.

"Ew-guys, please! Some people are trying to eat here. And when I say 'people', I mean your kids." Oliver remarked. He knew that Lois and Clark loved each other, but seeing them kissing in such a way was a sight which he did not want to have, ever.

Blushing, Lois and Clark ended their kiss and the latter murmured something under his breath, which only the former could hear; whatever he said, it made her laugh. Oliver rolled his eyes and continued to feed Ben. As soon as he was done, he texted Chloe, asking her if she could fix his laptop for him.

Meanwhile, Chloe slowly walked out of the bathroom in her and Jimmy's house with a fixed feeling in her heart. She was not sure if she should tell Jimmy now or if she should wait until her doctor confirmed it. "Chloe, what's wrong?" She was pulled out of her thoughts by Jimmy, as he lovingly wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. Forcing a smile, Chloe answered, "Jimmy, I'm fine really. I should get ready for work. Can you drop Nicky off at nursery?" She pulled herself out of her husband's arms and almost ran to her bedroom, not waiting for a reply. Jimmy stood there, confused. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but he had been with Chloe long enough to know that she would tell him when the time was right.

As he walked into the bathroom, he found his answer in the bin. His heart racing, he began to panic, but he knew that he would say the wrong thing if he spoke to his wife, so he decided to call Oliver, who picked up instantly. " _Jimmy, what's wrong?_ "

"Chloe's pregnant. She hasn't told me, but she's acting really weird. I found the test in the bin. She seems to want to get away from me. What do I do?"

" _Jimmy, just calm down-I've known Chloe long enough to know that Chloe will tell you when she's ready to tell you. If I were you, I would pretend that I knew nothing and just wait. You ok?_ "

Nodding, Jimmy inhaled a deep breath, assured Oliver that he was fine, then he ended the call, wondering what to do. Chloe was pregnant with his baby, so why had she not told him? Jimmy was not sure if he even wanted another baby yet, with Nicolas being so young, and maybe she sensed that. Whatever her reason, Jimmy remembered that Oliver's words about knowing Chloe were the same words which he had told himself, so he wondered: did Oliver know Chloe as well as him and, if so, how was that fair?

A couple of hours later, Chloe walked into Oliver's office, almost instinctively holding her stomach, even though she knew that that would not protect the human being who was growing inside of her. Oliver was standing by the table, with a book in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. "Chloe, how are you? My laptop's over there." Chloe nodded and, without answering his question, she sat down at his desk and began work.

Frowning, Oliver asked, "Er-Chloe, are you ok?"

Glaring at screen, Chloe ignored him, before finally admitting. "No, I'm not ok. I've just found out that I'm pregnant and, no, I haven't told Jimmy." Oliver pursed his lips together and pulled a chair next to his desk where Chloe was working. In a gentle voice, he said, "May I ask why you haven't told Jimmy?"

Chloe kept her eyes flued on the screen, as she did not want to look at Oliver at the moment. "I don't want to tell him because-because I know that he doesn't want to have another baby, yet. And why would he? Nicky's only one."

"I know you're going to hate me, but he has a right to know. He is the baby's father, isn't he?" The latter part earned him a glare and he sighed. "By the way, Lois asked me if I knew who you spent the night with. I covered for you, but you should know that she won't give up. Why don't you just tell her the truth? Stop lying to everyone."

For the first time since entering the room, Chloe looked up at Oliver and there were tears in her eyes. "I can't tell anyone, not even Lois. I would hurt Jimmy too much. You and I know the truth and we're the only ones who need to know, so let's leave it at that."

Pursing his lips again, Oliver admitted defeat. "Fair enough, I guess. You'll have to tell Jimmy soon, Chloe. If you don't, it will be just as bad as telling him that you had a one-night stand." With that, he stood up and walked out of his office, leaving Chloe wondering how to tell Jimmy; she knew that he did not want to have another baby yet, but she also knew that she did want Nicolas to have a brother or sister.

At lunchtime, Jimmy made his way to Chloe's office at Queen Industries. It was on the first floor, so it did not take long to get there. He knocked not eh door and called her name. The door opened and Jimmy walked into the office, His wife walked over to him and took hold of his hands. "Jimmy, I have something to tell you. I'm pregnant."

A smile spread across Jimmy's face as he replied, "I know-I mean, I saw your test in the bin and I called Oliver to talk to someone."

"You talked to Oliver? He didn't tell me that." Chloe shook her head and pushed that thought aside. "Why are you smiling? I mean, I didn't tell you because I thought you'd be mad. That's why I didn't tell you."

Jimmy squeezed her hands and nodded. "OK, I'll admit, I was freaking out, because Nicky's so young, but this is a miracle and, let's face it, our relationship has never been normal in terms of speed, so this is no different. I'm very happy about this. Are you?"

Forcing a smile, Chloe nodded, before Jimmy pulled her into a hug. She rested her face on his neck and closed her eyes, a part of her wishing that she were not in this situation and the other part of her was excited about the idea of having another child, with Jimmy.

That evening, after leaving work, Chloe made her way to Oliver's office, as she knew that he would still be working at this late hour. As she walked into the office, she saw that he was not wearing his usual formal attire, but jeans and a jumper. "Chloe, twice in one day! To what to I owe the pleasure?" He looked up from his book which was lying on his desk. "Did you tell Jimmy-about the baby, I mean? Not about… the other thing."

"Yeah, I did and he told me that he talked to you before I came here to fix your laptop. Why didn't you tell me that you'd spoken to him?" Chloe's tone was quite angry, so Oliver kept his voice calm as he answered, "I didn't want to feel as I were inferring in the affairs between a husband and wife. So, how do you feel about having the baby now?"

Chloe sat down in one of the seats and sighed. "I feel better now that I know that Jimmy's ok with it. As he said, our relationship has never been normal and I do want Nicky to have a brother or sister. I'm an only child and I know how hard it was when I was going through tough times."

Oliver smiled to himself. "You and Jimmy are so lucky, you know that? You love each other, so do Lois and Clark. Trust me, a life without love is-is lonely. So, whilst you and Jimmy have your bumps, you'll always be there for each other. Treasure that."

Smiling, Chloe nodded as she replied, "I do and that's why I think it would be foolish to tell Jimmy about-you know." She was silent for a couple of seconds, then said, "Ollie, I'm glad that you and I have rectified our friendship. When I married Jimmy, I was worried that I would lose you, but I haven't and I wanted to thank you for that."

Oliver looked down at his hands, then murmured, "You and I will always be there for each other, Chloe. No matter what. Now, I think that you should go home and spend some time with your husband and beautiful baby." Chloe chuckled and nodded, before standing up. Oliver did the same and they embraced each other in a hug, before letting go and Chloe left the office. She knew that she and Oliver had a complicated history, but she knew that now they had a platonic friendship and that made her very happy, because she did not see him in that way in which she saw Jimmy and she also knew that he loved Felicity.

Lois opened the door to her house to find Clark sitting in the kitchen feeding Jane and Ben. The sight made her heart warm and she smiled to herself and wondered how she was so lucky. She had such a great, loving husband and beautiful children. What had she done to deserve them? "Have you thought anymore about Lex's offer?" she inquired, as she helped herself to her own dinner and sat down at the table. She kissed Jane and Ben on the head.

Reaching over the table and kissing Lois, Clark smiled, then answered, "Yeah, I have. I'm not going to take it, I couldn't do that to Oliver and you were right, the Luthors' ethics are questionable."

Lois smiled to herself and asked, in a coy voice, "When am I not right?" She and Clark laughed, then she took over feeding Jane, so that Clark could make some attempt at eating his own dinner. Their dinner was interrupted when Chloe and Jimmy walked into their house, with Nicolas in his dad's arms. "Guys, we have some great news for you all!" Chloe cried, beaming with joy. Lois and Clark picked up their twins, carried them into the sitting room and Chloe and Jimmy followed them.

"What's this big news?" Lois asked her cousin, as they all sat down.

Adjusting Nicolas on his knee, Jimmy smiled with as much joy in his eyes as in his wife's. "Chloe's pregnant! Isn't it great?"

There was a silence for a moment, but Lois recovered herself quickly and smiled, "That's great, Chlo! How far along are you?"

Chloe had noticed the hesitation in her cousin's eyes and in Clark's eyes, but she ignored it and replied, "A couple of weeks, I think. I'm so glad that Nicky will have a brother or sister." There was another silence, then Clark stood up and offered his congratulations, whilst Lois and Chloe started at each other, as if Lois was trying to read her cousin, trying to find some sort of sign in her face. Chloe and Jimmy left soon after that. As soon as the door was closed, Clark tuned to his wife and asked, "Ok, Lois, what's wrong? What was that look in your eyes?"

"What look, Smallville?"

Smiling affectionately, Clark sat back down next to her. "Lois, I know you better than anyone and I saw that look in your eye and the way you were searching Chloe's face. Now, what's going on?"

Accepting defeat, his wife sighed. "Well, there was a tone of doubt in her eyes and I can't work out why. Normally, I can read her like a book. I mean, we grew up together, but there was something in her eyes which I didn't understand. But when she told me she was pregnant with Nicky, she looked scared, but she didn't this time. I know it sounds awful, but I can't help wondering if Chloe got pregnant on purpose so that Jimmy would marry her. Does that sound awful?"

"No, knowing how much Chloe wanted a family, I wouldn't be surprised. What did Oliver say when you asked him about Chloe's one-night stand?"

Lois shrugged and kissed her son's head. "He just said that he didn't know who it was with, but there-there was something in his eyes. I think he knows more than he's saying. It would make sense if he did, I guess. They are best friends, after all. I still can't understand why she hasn't told Jimmy about it. You and I told each other everything about our past."

Nodding, Clark agreed and remarked, "Yes, but neither of us were ashamed of our past-or past relationships. I'm guessing that Chloe's one-night stand with whomever, is something she's ashamed of. There must be a reason why she won't tell you who it was with. And if Oliver doesn't know, then none of us will ever find out." With a heavy sigh, he leaned his face closer to Lois's and kissed her and she kissed him back. With his free hand, he slipped off his glasses and asked, "How about we get these kids to bed and then watch a film?"

Taking Clark's glasses with her free hand and holding Ben in the other, Lois replied, "Now, Smallville, that sounds like a plan." They smiled, then carried Jane and Ben up their bedroom.

Meanwhile, Oliver was still sitting his office, trying to call Felicity; he had not spoken to her for ages and he wanted to hear her voice, but he received no reply and he was beginning to be worried that he had lost her friendship as well as her love.


	12. Chapter 11: Advice and siblings

**I do not own Smallville. Please read and review:)**

Chapter 11: Advice and siblings.

 _One year earlier…_

 _Chloe walked into her Talon apartment and closed the door behind her. Despite working for Queen Industries in Metropolis, she still lived in Smallville, as it was near Lois and Clark, but not too near. Her boyfriend, Jimmy, lived in Metropolis as well as her best friend, Oliver. She really wanted to talk to Jimmy, but she was also afraid of his reaction to what she was going to tell him. What if he left her, what would she do then? She knew that she would have the support of Lois, Clark and Oliver, but not having Jimmy's support would be awful and it would break her heart. They had only been together for a couple of weeks, but they had already declared their love for each other and Chloe was sure that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but she did not know if he felt the same way. The person with whom she really wanted to discuss this was Oliver, but they two of them were in a rather awkward place at the moment and Chloe blamed herself for that. Her thoughts were interrupted as the door opened and Jimmy walked in. "Jimmy!" she exclaimed, smiling, as she sat down at the table due to her nerves, "You didn't tell me that you were coming."_

 _Smiling, Jimmy walked over to her and passed her a rose. "I can drop in on my beautiful girlfriend, can't I?" He kissed her on the check, but stopped when he felt her tensing at the kiss. "What's wrong? You've been acting funny for a couple of days. Is it because we made love, did I pressure you?"_

 _Chloe took hold of his hands and assured him, "No, Jimmy, it was perfect. I love you."_

" _I love you too, Chloe." Jimmy whispered, before sitting down next to her. "So, now we've established that, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Chloe squeezed his hands and inhaled a deep breath. "Ok, when I tell you this, I want you to remain calm. Jimmy, I'm pregnant." A look of shock waved across Jimmy's face, then a smile of pure happiness appeared. He kissed Chloe, then replied, "Chloe, that's amazing."_

 _Frowning, Chloe asked, "It is? You're not freaking out?"_

 _Jimmy shook his head. "No, I love you and"- he stopped talking and slipped down from the chair on the floor. There, he fumbled around in his pockets before producing a ring "-and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and our baby. So, Chloe Anne Sullivan, will you marry me?"_

 _Tears appeared in her eyes, as the shock and the emotion of the moment caught up with her. She could not believe that this was happening, this was all she had ever wanted. She slipped down onto the floor next to Jimmy and nodded. "Yes, Jimmy. I'll marry you."_

" _Great. When should we do it? Before or after the baby's born?"_

 _Chloe blushed and replied, "I would prefer to do it before the baby's born and before I get really big. How about in two weeks?"_

 _Jimmy kissed her again and murmured, "I want that more than anything!" They kissed again. "Who are we going to invite? My grandfather, your dad, Lois, Clark? It sounds wonderful, Chloe." He wiped away the tears on her face, then Chloe pulled him into a tight hug._

 _A couple of hours later, Chloe almost ran into Lois and Clark's house, beaming with joy. When Lois asked her why she was so happy, she replied, "I'm engaged! I'm getting married to Jimmy!" Her smile and happiness faltered as she saw Oliver standing in the corner of the room. The look of his face was the worst thing she had ever seen and she knew that she was the cause of it. Regaining her composer, she said, "I want all of you to be there."_

 _For the first time since she had made the announcement, Oliver spoke and his voice was very strange. "Er-Chloe, I think I'm busy on that day. I'm sorry, I wish I could be there."_

" _I haven't told you the date yet." Chloe fixed him with a look, wondering why he was acting like this. He was her best friend-or he had been until a couple of weeks ago. "Can I see you outside, Ollie?" Lois and Clark glanced at each other, confused, as Oliver followed Chloe outside._

 _As soon as they were alone, Chloe turned to Oliver and hissed, "What is wrong with you? For the past couple of weeks, you've been avoiding me. I know that what I did was wrong, but that's in the past and I'm with Jimmy now!" She sighed and continued, in an almost begging tone, "You're my best friend, Ollie. I want you to come to my wedding."_

 _Their eyes met and Chloe saw nothing but pain in his. There was a long silence, then Oliver broke contact and whispered, "I can't be there, Chloe, and if you search you feelings, you'll know why." With that, he walked away and ignored Chloe as she shouted his name, begging him to change his mind, but he could not. He loved her and he could not watch her marry somebody else. It would be too hard, no matter how much he cared about her._

 _Present day…_

"Do you remember when Chloe told us she was engaged," Clark asked Lois as they were having their lunch, "and there was something going on between her and Oliver?"

Lois nodded. "Yeah, I do. At least now we know why that was: he was in love with her. I still don't understand why he didn't just tell her how he felt, then maybe she wouldn't have married Jimmy. Don't get me wrong, Smallville, I think that she and Jimmy are good together, I just-there's something about them together that doesn't fit. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm sure."

Chuckling, Clark observed, "I'm sure we've had this conversation before." Lois threw him a mock-glare, but smiled and, in her eyes, Clark could see nothing but love. Musing with his thoughts, he asked, "How did I get so lucky, Lois? How did I end up being with you?"

Lois leaned closer to him and squeezed his hands. "We took our time, Smallville, and we did it right. We're a perfect fit."

"We are indeed." Clark whispered, before leaning in closer and they kissed, before being interrupted by Jane and Ben crying. Smiling, Clark stood up and made his way upstairs, leaving Lois to clear away their lunch dishes and prepare some lunch for their babies. These tasks were interrupted, however, by a knock on the door. Rolling her eyes, Lois dropped the plates in the sink and walked to the door. She opened it and saw that it was her sister. "Lucy? What are you doing here?" The sisters had not seen each other for about 6 years. Lucy had not even bothered to go to Lois and Clark's wedding, which had really annoyed the latter.

Lucy smiled back and dropped her bags in the hall. "I'm here to see you, sis. I haven't even met your husband or kids yet."

"Well, you would've done if you'd bothered to attend my wedding or their births." Lois muttered under her breath, before forcing a smile and leading her sister into the house. She was very aware that Clark had never met Lucy and she wanted to avoid their introduction being awkward, but considering that it was Lucy, she knew that that was not going to be the case. There was a silence for a second, then Lucy asked, flashing a 'charming smile', "Would it be too much to ask for a cup of tea, big sis?" Lois just nodded, unable to say anything else. When she saw that Lucy was looking around the kitchen-her kitchen-with a critical eye-she asked, "So, how long have you been back in the States?"

Shrugging, Lucy answered, "A couple of months. I went to stay with Mum and Dad for a while and it was nice, because they were glad to see me. Anyway, I have a new Swiss boyfriend back home. Isn't that great? He's fluent in 4 different languages." Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Lois just nodded; Lucy was very flirtatious, so getting a boyfriend was easy, but keeping one was not so easy. There were six years between the two sisters, but that did not prevent Lois from being slightly jealous of Lucy. She had never discussed this was Clark, because she knew that he would not understand. There had also been no need to explain her complicated relationship with her sister, because her husband and she had never met, but Lois knew that would soon change and that Clark would want answers.

Just as that thought finished in her head, the kitchen door opened and Clark walked in, holding Jane in his arms. He stared at Lucy for a second, before holding out a hand. "I'm Clark. You must be Lucy." He recognised her from old photographs of Lois's which he had found hidden away in a drawer in their bedroom. The truth was that Lois had not told him anything about her sister, but he was going to ask her about that later.

Lucy's eyes surveyed Clark as if he were a piece of meat and her gaze began to make Clark feel uncomfortable. "So, you're Clark Kent? Wow! I never imagined that Lois could get a guy like you," she threw her sister a look, before asking, "how did you two meet?"

Clark glanced at his wife, who had her back to them and was making cups of tea. He cleared his throat and replied, "Well, we were at the same university: Yale, but we were friends, for two years, before we became a couple." His sister-in-law nodded, not looking remotely interested, as she asked, "So, is this one of the babies?"

At the moment, Lois stepped forward and took Jane into her arms. "Yes. This is Jane and Ben's upstairs."

"I wonder if her relationship with you will be like yours with Mum's." Lucy remarked, with a flash of something in her eyes. "Do you mind if I go to the bathroom?" She turned to the door, but Lois walked over to her. "Lucy, to be frank, why are you here?"

Lucy scoffed. "I wanted to see you, Lois. You're my big sister."

Fixing her with a hard stare, Lois snapped, "Try again, Luce. I wasn't born yesterday." There was a silence and Lucy began to fiddle with the handle of her handbag, before replying, in a soft voice, "Ok, to be honest, I'm having some personal problems and I wanted to see you because I knew that I'd be safe with you. I may not have seen you for 6 years, but you're still my sister." With that, she walked out of the kitchen and upstairs to the bathroom.

As soon as the bathroom door was closed, Clark asked, "So, what's the story behind that? The two of you, I mean?" He kissed Lois on the head and took Jane back into his arms. Jane reached out and touched her mum's face, smiling brightly, before settling happily in her dad's arms.

Lois went over to the sink and began to wash the lunch disses. "The thing is, I was 6 when Lucy was born, so I was old enough to remember it. My dad was always away and my mum-well, you know what my relationship with her is like. I guess… Lucy was the perfect daughter to both of my parents; she was into languages, she could play instruments, she was feminine… she was prefect compared to me who would have rather been in jeans and running around in the fields than siting playing a piano in a dress." Lois stopped, aware that she was rambling, but she was also trying to make sure that Clark understood why their relationship was so complex. "Lucy didn't go to the same school as me, ever. Then, when I was 13 and she was 7, Chloe came to live with us. She overheard our parents talking about what happened with Chloe's mother and she-she kept repeating it to Chloe. I didn't understand at the time and I still don't really know that happened with Chloe's mother, but Lucy drove Chloe to the edge until she snapped and they had a big fight. They resolved it, but my sister was never really sorry. Anyway, when she was 11 and I was 17, she was sent off to a Swiss boarding school… I guess, a part of me was jealous because she got out and… I didn't. She had opportunities which I didn't and I resented that."

"But not anymore-due to your use of the past tense?"

Shaking her head, Lois nodded. "I guess, as I got older, I grew to terms that our parents loved her more than me and that was the way it was. I've learned to accept it, but sometimes it still hurts, you know?"

Clark walked over to her and put his free hand around her waist. Smiling, she turned around to face him. "If you had been sent away to Swiss boarding school, you and I would never have met, Lois. So, I'm grateful that you weren't the one who was send away and you and Chloe are very close."

Lois moved her face closer to Clark's and their eyes met and Clark saw tears in her eyes. "The first time I stopped resenting the choices my parents made for Lucy was when I met you, Smallville. Had I been given the opportunities she had, I wouldn't be the person am I today and I would never have met you. I would sacrifice a Swiss education for you and the kids any day." Clark leaned his face closer to hers and they kissed. When their kiss ended, he remarked, in a low voice, "You went to a better university than her anyway. And who do you think is happier now?"

"I do hope she's ok. She is my sister, after all." Their eyes met again and they both chuckled, before Lois squeezed out of that position and went upstairs to check on Ben, who was still asleep. Clark kissed Jane and whispered, "Mummy has a very complicated life, but she loves you and Ben more than anything, sweetie." The baby girl grabbed her dad's nose and smiled, giggling at the sight and texture of his nose. Had anyone else touched his nose like that, Clark would not have been impressed, but this was his daughter, so his children could get away with far more than anyone else.

"That's a sight everyone loves to see- a girl sticking her fingers up her dad's nose and laughing about it." Clark looked up to see Oliver and he smiled at his friend. "Does everybody have a key to this place?"

Chuckling, Oliver nodded. "Yeah, pretty much." He held out his arms and Clark passed Jane to him. "Who does the car outside belong to?"

Clark's smile faded and he replied, "It's Lois's sister, Lucy. She's over from Europe." He looked up at his friend and was surprised to see recognition when he said Lucy's name. "I'm assuming that you know something, judging by that look in your eyes?"

Oliver cleared his throat. "I only know what Chloe's told me." He looked slightly sheepish, as if he were not supposed to know anything and Clark began to wonder what Chloe had told him about her relationship with her younger cousin. To make his friend feel at ease, he remarked, "Well, I've only just heard the story from Lois-there was no need for me to know before. When did Chloe tell you? She tells you everything, doesn't she?" He knew that Chloe and Oliver were close, but he had not expected her to have told him about her relationship with Lucy.

Before Oliver could answer his question, Lucy walked back into the room and her attention was instantly drawn to Oliver, whom she recognised from the news and magazines. "You're Oliver Queen, CEO of Queen Industries. I've always wanted to meet you!" Clark could see the look in Oliver's eyes and he could tell that what Chloe had told him had not been positive, but Oliver smiled and held out his hand to Lucy. "It's nice to meet you, Lucy. I've heard a lot about you."

Lucy was about to ask Oliver what he had heard, but at the moment, Chloe walked into the kitchen with Nicolas in her arms and she froze in her tracks, pulling Nicolas closer to her chest. Her eyes flitted to Oliver, then Clark, before they focused on her cousin again. "Lucy, how-how are you?"

Forcing a smile, Lucy nodded. "I'm good thanks. I heard you got married last year?"

"Yeah, to Jimmy Olsen. This is Nicky, our son." There was a long silence, then she said, "I have to go. I'll see you later." She practically ran out of the door and back to her car. Oliver passed Jane back to her dad, excused himself and followed Chloe, as he wanted to make sure that she was alright. He found her sitting on a hall on the next street, with Nicolas in her arms. Walking over to her, he asked, "Is Jimmy at home?"

Chloe shook her head. "No, he isn't. He's out with his grandfather." She paused, then asked, "How can seeing her after all this time still have this effect on me? I haven't seen her since I was 11. I hated her for what she did to me, she was a constant reminder of what happened to my mother. She had no right to say the things she did. Do you know that I still have the scars from what happened to my mother and I still have nightmares about it? Sometimes, I wake up and I think that I'm there. Jimmy helps as much as he can, but he doesn't know the whole story."

Sighing, Oliver sat down next to her and passed her a tissue. She accepted it and wiped her eyes. "That's the strange thing about that kind of thing. Sometimes, it feels like another life time and other times, it feels as if you're in that exact moment again. One would assume that the pain would be numbed with time, but it isn't always, is it?"

Shaking her head and biting her lip, Chloe whispered, "I know that what happened wasn't really my mother's fault, but at the time, I didn't understand that. I get trapped in the nightmares of what happened sometimes. I feel as if I'm 11 all again and then I wake up and the-the pain is almost too much to bear." Tears started to fall freely down her face and Oliver pulled her into a hug, in an attempt to comfort his best friend. After Chloe stopped crying, he put his arm around her and sighed. "I know how you feel, Chloe- I mean, with sometimes thinking that you're there. That happens to me, too and I think that I'm-I'm seeing my parents' jet exploding right in front of me. It's a different situation, I know."

"Yeah, it is different," Chloe replied, looking him in the eye, "after the accident, I had family around me, to help me deal with what happened. You had no-one, Ollie. I mean, I know you had teachers and other people, but that's not the same, is it?"

Oliver shook his head. "No. The only person I had was Felicity... and now I may have lost her too." He smiled at her, before adding, "You were the first person, Chloe, whom I really let in after my parents died." Their eyes met and Oliver could see Chloe's eyes searching hers, as if she were looking for something. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, he stood up and cleared his throat. "How about we go for a coffee and get this little man some milk?" He took Nicolas in his arms and the baby smiled at him. Chloe nodded in agreement and the two of them walked to _Metro Café_ , which was one of Chloe's favourite places to go. Her first date with Jimmy had been there, but something told her not to tell Oliver that, so she did not, although she was not sure what was telling her not to do so.

Meanwhile, Clark made his way to the twins' bedroom, but Lois was in their bedroom with Ben in her arms. Lying Jane and himself down on the bed, Clark asked, "Are you using Ben as an excuse not to come downstairs?" He knew what the answer was, because he knew his wife and he knew how her mind worked, just as she did his.

Lois chuckled to herself and kissed Ben on the temple. "How did you guess? Did I hear Chloe's voice a couple of minutes ago?"

Sighing, Clark answered, "Yeah, she came in with Nicolas. It was a bit awkward to say the least. She almost ran out of the house and Oliver followed her."

"She and Lucy haven't seen each other since Chloe was 11. Do you think she's told Oliver about what happened?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah, I could tell that he knew something when I told him that it was Lucy. He has PTSD, from seeing his parents' jet blow up. He said that Chloe was the only one who would understand, because of what happened with her mother."

Much to his surprise, Lois started laughing to herself. When he threw her a confused look, she explained, "It's just- I know that Oliver wants to get back together with Felicity, but he and Chloe would be perfect together. I mean, they tell each other things which they don't tell others-even I don't know the whole story of what happened with Chloe's mother." She paused, then adding, "Thankyou for understanding earlier, by the way-and even if you didn't understand, you pretended."

"Well, that's my job," Clark observed, smiling as he moved closer to Lois on the bed, "as your husband, I have to listen to you." A smile spread across Lois's face and she punched him in the playful way she always had. Their eyes fell on the two babies lying in between them and it reminded them of how far they had come in the past twelve years of knowing each other. After a long, thoughtful silence, Lois remarked, "I guess I'd better go and see what my sister's up to. Come down soon, Smallville." She kissed him on the check, which he received with a pure smile, before leaving the bedroom and going downstairs.

In the kitchen, she found her sister sitting at the table, clutching a cup of tea, staring blankly at the cream wall ahead of her. Walking into the kitchen slowly, Lois asked, "Lucy, are you ok?" She was silent, then added, "I know that you and I aren't close and I'm to blame for that, but you can talk to me."

"It isn't your fault, Lois," Lucy replied in a barely audible voice, "our relationship, I mean. I made your life and Chloe's life very hard. I guess I always knew that Mum and Dad… liked me better, but that didn't make me happy. The only person I really cared about was you and you resented me for what I had." Lois sat down opposite her sister. "But I don't feel that way now. We're adults, we have to put the past behind us."

Lucy looked down at the table, before confessed, "I feel bad about how Mum treated you, about how I treated Chloe when we were kids. I always felt as if Dad preferred you, because you were the classic Army brat and I was far from it. I was the daughter Mum wanted and she made me that way, that wasn't entirely my choice, you know that? And as for how I treated Chloe-I guess, she was so clever, it felt nice to know something about her, something which you didn't know. The damage I did, I can never repair."

Biting her lip, Lois remarked, "I know this may be a wild suggestion, considering you're a Lane born and breed, but why don't you just talk to Chloe? Try to make her understand why you did what you did?"

Shaking her head, her sister mumbled, "No, because I can't even fix my relationship with you or my boyfriend, so what hope do I have with my cousin?" In a second, Lois was by her side and she pulled her into a hug. "I'm your sister, you don't have to fix anything with me. Now, the personal problems you said earlier, are they to do with this boyfriend of yours?" She already knew the answer, but she wanted her sister to talk to her.

"Well, I think I love him and I think that he feels the same way about me, but… I think that he may be seeing another woman behind my back and even the idea of it breaks my heart. I know that the love of your life would never do that, so you may not understand, sis."

Lois decided to ignore that remark, before asking, "Are you in love with him? And, if you are, does that change how you would react if he were cheating on you?"

Lucy shook her head, looking very confused, "I don't know. I don't know." She was silent for a while, then asked, "When can I speak to Chloe?"

Aware that her sister was trying to be pro-active and not worry about what she did not know, Lois replied, "She'll be round tomorrow for lunch. You can speak to her then." Lucy nodded her thanks, before walking out of the kitchen and up to her room. Lois sighed to herself, wondering if her relationship with her sister would ever be normal. She wanted it to be so, but she doubted that it would ever be so.

That evening, Felicity opened her front door to find Barry standing there with a bunch of flowers. She was surprised to see how nervous he looked, as he asked if she liked those flowers; when she replied that she indeed did, he seemed to be more at ease, before informing her that Callie was with a friend of his for the evening. He walked into Felicity's house and immediately smelt the dinner which she had prepared. "I hope it's ok, I haven't cooked for ages." Felicity told him as they sat down to begin eating their dinner.

As they sat down, the conversation between them began to flow naturally, but Felicity had a feeling in her stomach, a feeling which she felt when she heard Barry's voice or looked into his eyes. She really, really liked him and she could not remember the last time she had felt that way about someone, besides Oliver. Biting her lip, she asked, "Barry, you do like me, don't you?"

Barry looked at her startled, before answering, "Of course I like you. You're my girlfriend and I'm so glad that you're in my life… do-do you feel the same way? About me, I mean?"

There was a long silence and Felicity looked up into Barry's eyes and smiled, with affection and honesty in her eyes. She was about to reply, but Barry's phone began to ring. He answered it and it was his friend, telling him that Callie was sick. "I'm so sorry, Felicity. I have to go. I'll call you, ok?" He kissed her briefly and she kissed him back, before he stood up and left the house. Felicity sighed to herself. A part of her was grateful that they had been interrupted, because she thought that maybe telling Barry how strongly she felt about him was a bad idea, especially considering this was his first relationship since Iris's death. The other part of her, however, wished that she had had the chance to tell him, as she really wanted to stay with him.

When Clark finally entered his and Lois's bedroom after putting the twins to bed, he lay down on their bed and wrapped his arms around his wife. "Did you find out what was bothering Lucy?" He and Lois had not had the chance to speak to each other since earlier that morning.

Rolling over to face her husband, Lois smiled to him, then answered, "She's worried about our relationship. It turns out that she was kind of jealous of me when we were kids, because I was the 'perfect daughter' for Dad and our mother made her into her idea of perfection. I'd never thought about it that way, I'd always assumed that it had been what she'd wanted. Isn't that funny? She's also worried about what happened between her and Chloe years ago, but if I can forgive her for that, then I'm sure that Chloe will." She was not sure of that, considering how hurt her cousin had been by her sister's actions, but she also knew that Chloe had always been closer to her than to Lucy, even before they had fallen out. "Do you think you'll ever sort out your problems with your brother, Smallville?"

Clark moved uncomfortable and sighed. "Conner and I don't have problems-we just don't really talk to each other."

"Yeah, cause that's normal!" Lois joked, before turning serious. "I think it's strange how you're closer to Tess than Conner, especially considering Tess was adopted when you were eleven."

"My relationship with Conner is… complicated. It always has been-we clash really easily and, because I was athletic, Dad spent more time with me and I think he found that hard." Clark had never spoken those words out load, but he had always known it deep down and it hurt him to think that it was because of him that his brother did not have a good relationship with their dad. He sighed, then remarked, "We just have to ensure that Jane and Ben are close when they're our age and they will be, I'm sure." He kissed Lois on the lips and she kissed him back. "We're good parents, aren't we?"

Smiling and keeping her face closer to his, Lois nodded. "Yes, Smallville. We are." With that, they kissed, then went to bed. Once in bed, Clark wrapped his arms around Lois and they both fell asleep, feeling safe in each other's arms.

The next morning, Felicity made her way to Queen Tower; she had nobody else to speak to about her relationship with Barry, so she had to go to see Oliver, despite how awkward the conversation may be for him. He had to move on with his life, as she had. She inhaled a deep breath, before walking in Oliver's office and waited, surprised that Oliver was not there. He eventually walked in, wearing jeans and a jumper, so she guessed that he was not working.

"Felicity, what are you doing here?" He asked, walking over to his desk and picking up a bottle of water. He held one out to her, but she did not accept it, instead replying, "I-er-I need some advice from you… about my relationship with Barry."

Oliver chuckled. "You should've gone to Chloe and Lois-I'm not the best person to discuss relationships with." Felicity accepted the bottle which he had held out to her. Their fingers brushed each other slightly and she saw him blushing, before confessing, "I came to you because I trust you. I really like Barry, but I'm not sure if I should tell him that- I mean, how much he means to me. What do you think?"

Opening the bottle of water, Oliver replied, "Well, if I were you, I would tell Barry, because if you don't, you could loose him, so it's probably best to take that risk than the risk of loosing him. It's the best kind of risk to take, trust me." He had not meant to say the latter part out load, but he was glad that Felicity did not seem phased by it. Instead, she smiled and said, "Thanks. Are you going somewhere which isn't work-related today? A date maybe?" She asked hopefully, as she wanted him to move on with his life, so that she could do so properly, without worrying about him.

"No. I'm going to lunch at Lois and Clark's. Do you want to come?"

Felicity quickly shook her head. "No, I have work to do." She paused, then added, "Thanks for your help, Oliver. I'll see you soon, ok?" Oliver smiled and nodded in response before she walked out of the office. As soon as the door was closed, Oliver placed the bottle down on his desk and sighed; he had expected seeing Felicity to get easier, but so far, it was as painful as it had been the day she had ended their relationship.

An hour later, Chloe had woke up Nicolas and had called Jimmy to say hello. He was still with his grandfather and he was going to be back that evening, but she wanted his support, especially after seeing Lucy and the affect that had had on her. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Picking up Nicolas, she looked through the kitchen window and was surprised to see that it was Oliver. She smiled and opened the door. "Ollie, what are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd come and give you some support, to help you face Lucy again. You are going to Lois and Clark's, aren't you?"

Sighing, Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I don't want to, but Lois says that Lucy wants to make amends, so I guess, I should be grateful that she's trying to make things right." She hesitated, then confessed, "I still can't explain what she said-how it affected me."

Putting a comforting hand of her shoulder, Oliver murmured, "You don't have to explain, Chloe. I understand how hurtful words can be, believe me." Chloe flashed a thankful smile, before passing Nicolas to him whilst she went to her bedroom to get ready. She did not have Jimmy's support, but she did have Oliver's so that would have to be enough.

Lucy explained her reasons for saying what she had said to her cousin and, whilst Chloe could not forget, she did forgive her, more for the sake of Lois than for anyone else. After she and Lois returned into the kitchen, Lois smiled a smile of thanks to her cousin and she also saw Oliver smiling at her, looking proud.

That evening, Lois finally made her way to bed and she fell into her husband's arms. "Another day done, Smallville," she kissed him on the head, "can you and I ever have a normal day?"

Smiling with love in his eyes, Clark shook his head, "Obviously not. You know, all of our friends and family have such complicated love lives and, here we are, settled down with a family. I never thought I'd be this person, Lois, and I don't think that I would be, if I hadn't met you."

"Well, that's why I'm glad I went to Yale, because I met you, Clark." Clark wiped away the tears which had formed in her eyes, then they rested their heads together and closed their eyes. Neither of them could imagine their life without the other and they knew that that was how it was supposed to be.


	13. Chapter 12: Failure and loyalty

**I do not own Smallville. Please read and review:)**

 _Starring:_

 _ **Tom Welling as Clark Lane-Kent**_

 _ **Erica Durance as Lois Lane-Kent**_

 _ **Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen**_

 _ **Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan**_

 _ **Cassidy Freeman as Tess Luthor**_

 _ **Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor**_

 _ **Laura Vandervoot as Kara Kent**_

Chapter 12: Failure and loyalty.

A couple of weeks later, after school hours, Tess and Lex were called to school by the head teacher. Fearing that there was something wrong with one of their sons, they instantly went and walked into the head teacher's office. It was normally Tess who dealt with the school, so Lex was very apprehensive. Upon entering the office, they saw that neither of their sons were there and Lex inquired where Alexander and James were, to which the head teacher replied that they were in a classroom, being supervised, as this meeting was private and so could not take place in front children, even the children whom it concerned. This made Tess and Lex feel even more nervous and they began to be worried about why they had both been summoned there, but they sat down and waited patiently, although neither of them were very well practiced in this art.

"The thing is," the head teacher began with a very grim voice, "Alexander and James haven't been acting like themselves recently. They've been quite badly behaved and I was just wondering if either of you knew a reason for this. This issue could be school-related… or, there could be something going on at home which is affecting the boys. Can you think of anything?"

Tess and Lex glanced at each other, before Tess replied, in a tight voice, "Well, things have been a bit hectic at home recently. We-we-er-attended marriage counselling and-well, we'll let you know if anything else occurs." Tess threw a smile at the head teacher, before standing up and walking over to the door, but upon seeing that Lex was still sitting down, she stayed still, waiting for him to say something to the head teacher. He stared at her intently, before remarking, "I would appreciate it if you didn't mention this to the papers-or to anyone, in fact. My private life is my private life, no matter how rich and famous I am." The head teacher looked slightly stunned, but she just nodded and dismissed them. Lex stood up and marched out of the door. Rolling her eyes, Tess followed him, wondering what he was angry about now.

When they returned home, they saw that their sons were both asleep in the back of the car. "What's wrong, Lex?" Tess inquired, through gritted teeth, her hands holding onto the wheel for dear life.

"I need to get out," Lex uttered in barley a whisper, "of the house. I'll-I'll go and stay with my father for a while, I just-I have to get out of the house, Tess." He opened the door, hoping that his wife would not follow him, but she did and grabbing his arm, she hissed, "What do you mean leave? You can't just walk out on us!"

Lex ran his hands across his head, as he replied, "I'm not walking out on you or the boys. I just-I need some space, some time, away from… everything."

Their eyes met and Tess murmured, "Away from me, you mean." Her eyes turned fiery and she snapped, "Fine. Get your stuff packed and leave, but you'll have to call the boys later to say goodnight, because they can't go to sleep without hearing your voice." Her tone was icy and, for once, Lex did not blame her; had she announced that she were leaving, he would have reacted in the same way: with anger.

Lex collected most of his belongings, left the house and made his way to the main LuthorCorp building in Metropolis, which was where his father lived. Tess watched him leaving from the upstairs window and fought back the tears which were threatening to fall from her eyes. "Mummy," James walked over to her, "can Daddy read to me tonight?"

Turning around to her youngest son, Tess answered that she was reading him a goodnight story that night. She pulled him into bed and started to read. Later that night, both of the boys crept into the bedroom she had shared with Lex, so she let them in, as she knew that neither of them could sleep without her that night, as she could not sleep without them.

The next morning, Lex was late to work and he decided to go to see Clark, as he wanted somebody to whom he could talk and he did not wish to discuss this with Lois. "Hey, Clark."

His best friend looked up from his laptop and surveyed his friend with a critical eye. "Lex, are you ok? You look very… tired?"

Lex shuffled where he was standing and then answered, "I moved out last night. I'm staying with my father at the moment." There was a silence, then Clark finally spoke. "You moved out? What happened, I thought that the two of you were working out your problems, that you were having help?"

"Yeah, we were. I thought-hoped-that it was working, as did Tess, I'm sure, but we can't seem to get passed our problems. I know that Tess thinks that we can work through anything, but maybe we can't. We've both been trying, but it isn't working, that's why I've moved out. I can't stay in that house anymore, Clark." Before Clark could say anything, his mobile phone began to ring. It was Lois, telling him that Jane had almost said 'Mummy', but she soon realised that there was something wrong, so she said that she would call back later, told him that she loved him and she hung up. Clark placed down his phone on his desk and stood up. "Lex, what are you going to do? I mean, do you have a plan?"

Shaking his head, Lex replied, "No. My plan was to not become my father and that's exactly what I've done." He froze with shock and horror in his eyes. "Oh my gosh-my boys! Alexander and James, what are they going to think of me for walking out on them? What will they think of me, Clark?" He sat down on Clark's desk and inhaled deep breaths, as deep panic began to take hold of him. What were his sons going to think of him? Would they think that he did not love them anymore? He hoped not, but he knew that that had been what he had thought after his own father had walked out on him and his mother.

Lois was in the middle of writing an article on her laptop in the kitchen when the front door opened and Tess walked in, with James in her arms. She put her son down and he ran into the living room. "Can I talk to you?" she asked in an almost broken voice, to which her sister-in-law nodded and invited her into the kitchen. She rested her hands on the kitchen sink, as if she were using it for strength. After a silence, Lois asked, "Why is James not in school? Is he sick?" She knew the answer, but she also wanted to find out what was going on and she knew that asking Tess about the little boy was the way to get her to open up.

"He-he didn't sleep very well last night." Tess sighed, as she knew that she needed to tell someone and she knew that telling Oliver was not an option, so there was only Lois to whom she could speak about this. Without looking at Lois, she said, "Lex moved out last night. He said that he couldn't stay in our house anymore. I-I don't know how we're going to pay everything and the boys- I can only think about the practical things, because if I think about the rest… I think I'll break. I have to pick up Alexander after school and…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Understanding and seeing the sadness and conflict in Tess's eyes, Lois pulled her into a hug. "You know you can talk to me and Clark, right? We're always here for you."

Tess pulled away from Lois's embrace and forced a smile. "Thanks, Lois. I-Lex isn't sure what he wants anymore, but whatever he wants, I can't give it to him. Can-would you be able to pick up Alexander for me? I-I still can't believe that this is happening. I thought that we were getting better, but I was wrong. I was trying even harder than before with him, but it was futile. Well, if this is really what he wants, then that's what's going to happen." There was a very hard tone to her voice, which Lois had only heard a couple of times and the hardness was also in her eyes, which made Lois fear for the future. This hardness vanished from Tess's eyes when James walked into the room and she embraced him in a tight hug. Lois could see tears in her eyes and she smiled sadly. Why was this happening and why now?

As the end of the day began to draw near, Clark asked Lex if he wanted to stay with him and Lois for a couple of days, whilst he worked out what he wanted to do. He felt terribly conflicted, because Tess was his sister, but Lex was also one of best friends and he was trying to do what was best for him. He knew that legal separation had made Chloe and Jimmy realise how much they loved each other, so maybe it was possible that it could do the same for Tess and Lex, but he also aware that Jimmy had never cheated on Chloe, whereas he knew that Lex had cheated on Tess, more than once. He knew that they loved each other, but what if that was not enough?

Lois left Jane and Ben with her next-door neighbours and went to collect Alexander from school. The little boy looked very troubled and it worried Lois. She began to wonder how much he understood about what was happening and also how much he had heard in the past months. As they walked along, he suddenly said, "Some of my friends have lost their dad-as in their dads don't live with them anymore. I don't want Dad to become one of those dads." That was all he said, but it was enough to make Lois worry. She mentioned it to Tess on their way back to Tess's house, but she dismissed it. As Tess began to prepare dinner, Lois told her that, if she needed anything, to give her and Clark a call, but Tess assured her that she was fine and that she did not need support of any kind. The truth was that she wanted to be left alone with her children, which Lois finally understood and left the house. The anger with Lex was boiling up inside of her; how this was affecting both Tess and Alexander and James made her angry and Lex had probably not considered the consequences of this actions or how all of this would make his beloved family feel.

Once home, Lois saw that there was a Freire in their driveway and she knew that it was Lex's, as none of their other friends had a car like that, not even Oliver. She walked into the kitchen, with her shopping bags in her arms. She found Clark and Lex in there, with the twins in her husband's arms. She walked straight past Lex and started to put the food away. "How are my kids?"

Lois froze for a second, before replying, "I think they're fine-well, as fine as they can be." There was a tone to her voice which Clark knew meant that she was really annoyed or angry about something, so he asked, "So-er-Lex needs somewhere to stay for a couple of days, honey. Can he stay here?"

Turning around to face them, Lois nodded, "Of course he can. He's always welcome here."

Lex uttered a word of thanks, before asking again how Alexander and James were. He wanted to know how their day at school had been. Eventually, Lois snapped, "You know what, why don't you call Tess to ask? Oh no wait-that would be an awkward thing to do, considering you walked out on her!" She caught Clark's eyes, then mumbled, "Excuse me, I need to go and change her nappy." She took Jane from Clark's arms and walked out of the room, going upstairs to her bedroom, placing Jane in the cot by the bed.

Soon after this, Clark walked in and sat on the bed. "Honey, this is as weird for me as it is for you. I mean, I know how much it hurt me when my dad cheated on my mum, but I-I can't turn my back on Lex, he's my friend, but Tess is my sister. I'm going to try to do everything I can to make this work, but I need you on board. Can you please not judge him so quickly?"

Lois sat down on the bed and took hold of his hands. "I'm not judging him, but I have been with Tess and the boys and I can see how much they are suffering."

"Lex is suffering too, Lois," Clark reminded her, "he needs to work this out and he can't do that at home. I know you think what he's doing is wrong-and I kind of agree with you-but he needs some space. Besides, Jimmy moved out and now he and Chloe couldn't be happier. Separation did them good."

Sighing, Lois shook her head. "It's different and you know it is." She paused, then asked, "Does Lex have a plan? I mean, are they going to get divorced or what?"

Clark lay down on the bed, closing his eyes. Lois slid down onto the bed next to him. He shook his head. "I don't know. I mean, he doesn't know what he wants. The best thing we can do is try to support both of them and I hope that they work through it. If Tess won't talk to me or you, who will she talk to?"

Lois kissed Clark on the check, as she whispered, "She may speak Oliver. They know each other very well, maybe we could give that a try." She sighed and squeezed Clark's hands. "The important thing is that we don't fight about this, Smallville, because that won't do us or the situation any good."

"Agreed, Miss. Lane." Clark replied in a playful voice, smirking at his wife. Glaring at him with love and annoyance in her eyes, Lois playfully punched him and the two of them laughed and leaned Clark raised his head and they kissed. Their kiss was interrupted by a knock on the door and they flew apart really quickly, as neither of them wanted Lex to see them kissing like that.

"Hey, guys. Erm-considering I'm here and trying not to be a burden, how about I order a takeaway for us? We can sit and watch it in front of the sport?" Lois and Clark glanced at each other, having a silent conversation, before the latter nodded and said that that would be great. Lex smiled and left the room, leaving Lois and Clark. Clark stood up, kissed Lois on the head, picked up Jane and carried her downstairs. Lois reached out to her mobile phone and texted Chloe, telling her what was going on with Tess and Lex and asking her if she could persuade Oliver to talk to Tess.

Meanwhile, Chloe and Jimmy were eating their dinner together and Chloe's phone buzzed, indicating that she had received a text. She sighed, then told Jimmy what Lois had told her. Jimmy sighed too and asked, "How's Tess?"

"Lois said she thinks that she's struggling." Chloe replied, then she noticed the expression on her husband's face. "Jimmy, what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything." Jimmy moved uncomfortably in his chair, before murmuring, "I walked out on you and Nicky, Chloe-just like Lex has done to Tess and the boys. What Tess is struggling with-you went through that too and I'm so sorry. I guess… I still think that I'm not good enough for you."

Chloe stood up and kneeled down carefully so that their faces were level. "Jimmy, first of all, you didn't walk out of me and Nicky. You and I made an agreement that we needed some time apart. And second of all, our marriage is nothing like Tess and Lex's. Ok, we have our occasional bump, but we're nothing like them, ok? I am sure that we are meant to be together. I promise." She stood up carefully and kissed him and he kissed her back. "And, we have this baby on the way." She smiled, indicating her stomach.

Jimmy's face lit up with a smile. "Yeah, we do. We should start to discuss names." He kissed her again, with all of his love for her going into that kissing, hoping that she would understand that he would never leave her. He secretly wondered if she would ever leave him, after their children were grown up, but he pushed that thought aside and continued kissing her.

Their kiss was interrupted when Oliver walked in. Smirking, he said, "Hey, guys. So, where's my favourite godson?"

Clearing her throat and blushing, Chloe replied, "He's having a nap. Oliver, do you know how to knock, because if you do, then don't walk in on a couple without knocking, please." She threw him a death-glare and he felt slightly bad, knowing that he had interrupted a delicate moment between husband and wife. "Anyway, seen as you're here," Chloe sat back down, "I need to talk to you. Lois texted me and told me that Lex has moved out and he's staying with her and Clark."

Oliver stared at her and repeated, "He's moved out? He's moved out?" He could not believe how much he wanted to find Lex now and punch him for treating Tess and his sons in this manner. He did not love Tess anymore and they were no longer together, but he did still care about her and he hated the way Lex treated her, especially when it came to his multiple affairs. He pursed his lips together, before asking, "Well, has Lois spoken to or seen Tess, how is she?"

"Well, that's the thing. She won't open up to Lois, but she might to you, because the two of you-well-you know each other very well. Lo recommends that you go round tomorrow, give her some space tonight."

Sighing, Oliver remarked bitterly, "They were getting help. I thought things were getting better between the two of them." He shook his head, before heading for the door to leave the couple alone.

Meanwhile, Tess was reading alone in her bedroom, but she was finding that she could not concentrate. This was her second night without Lex and she was finding it hard to adjust, even though the two of them had not always slept in the same bed all the time due to the nature of their marriage. Her thoughts were interrupted when Alexander and James walked and in the latter said, "Mummy, we can't sleep. Can you come and read to us in my room?" Tess nodded. An hour later, she and the two boys were all asleep in James's bed.

Meanwhile, Lois, Clark and Lex were eating dinner together, but the atmosphere was awkward as Lois sensed that Lex did not want her to be there, so she said that she was going to bed, kissing her husband before she left. Once upstairs, she went to the twins' bedroom. When they were alone, Lex asked Clark if he wanted to go out to have a beer and throw some darts. Under normal circumstances, Clark would have declined this offer, as bars were not where he liked to spend his time, but he agreed, as Lex was so low and he called up the stairs to Lois, asking how Jane and Ben were.

"They're fine, just restless. I'm going to sit with them for a while." Lois suddenly noticed that Clark was wearing his jacket, so she asked, "Where are you going?" Looking slightly guilty, her husband replied, "We're just going out for a bear and a chat. I'll see you later, ok?" Lois smiled and nodded, but sighed as she heard the door close. She walked back into Jane and Ben's bedroom and, picking up a teddy bear, she sat in the rocking chair.

Clark and Lex made their way to a bar in Metropolis and both bought bear, but Clark knew that he would not drink all of his. As they walked over to the darts, he asked, "So, Lex. Why are you really moving out?"

Lex looked at him, shocked. "What do you mean, Clark?"

Clearing his throat, Clark sighed. "I just mean-is there somebody else and that's the real reason why you've walked out on Tess?"

Glaring at him, Lex threw another dart and remarked, "Clark, I would have thought that after years of friendship, you would know me a bit better than that assumption."

"True-but I do know what kind of man you are and I also know that you wouldn't walk out on Tess if you didn't have a good reason." He threw a dart, then sat down on the poker table. "So, is there somebody else-I mean, at the moment?"

There was a silence as Lex threw another dart and missed by a very large margin. He took another sip of bear, before answering, "No, there isn't. But I do know that Tess isn't the one. I don't know, I mean-how do you ever know who is the one? I could spend my entire life searching for my soul mate and not find her, but there can't be anything wrong with searching."

"And you didn't think about what before you married my sister?" Clark inquired, in an icy voice, throwing a look at Lex. This was the first time he had referred to Tess as his sister, because he wanted to remind Lex and he wanted to let his friend know that he was rather angry with him for walking out on Tess and Alexander and James. He was beginning to think that Lois's judgement of his old friend had been correct all along.

Lex turned to face his friend, with a bear in his hand and snapped, "This is just great-you dare to sit there, judging me and my marriage, when you have no idea what is behind closed doors! The only relationship you've ever had has been with your wife, so how do you have a clue what I'm going through right now?" He smiled a very twisted smile and suggested, "Tell you what, Clark? How about you move out, too? I'd be great-we could not work and search the world for our soul mates!"

Clark looked Lex in the eye and replied, without thinking in a stern voice, "Because I don't want to move out. Lois is the one for me." He kept eye contact with Lex, trying to tell him what he was thinking without thinking. He could see the anger and disappointment in his friend's eyes, but this disappeared when a group of young women walked past and Lex watched them for a while. When he saw Clark looked at him, he threw him a questioning look. Raising his eyebrows, Clark answered his question: "That right there is the difference between you and I, my friend. You looked at those woman and I didn't, because I don't have reason or motivation to do so." He altered his position on the table, threw a dart and it hit the target. Lex looked at it, in astonishment, then back at Clark, who smiled sadly, stood up and walked outside for some fresh air… and some peace.

He was not alone for long, though, because he saw Oliver's car pull up and his friend walked over to him, in a suit, so he guessed that he had just left work. "I went round to yours and Lois told me you were here. D'you want to tell me why you're here, this isn't your usual haunt?" Oliver laughed, trying to make a joke out of what he knew was going to be an awkward situation, especially if Lex turned up.

Clark sighed, then answered, "I'm here with Lex, obviously. He has opened up to me. He told me that Tess isn't the one for him and that he wants to find his soul mate. I mean, did he not think about that before he married my sister? Is he not thinking about how this is affecting her or the boys? Does he think about anyone but himself?" He inhaled a deep breath, shaking his head. "I know he's going through a lot right now. I told Lois she shouldn't judge him for moving out, and that's what I'm doing now. How can you ever know what's going on inside somebody else's marriage-relationship, even?"

Smiling, Oliver remarked, "Well, you and Lois are transparent, I'll be honest. I can always tell what's going on between the two of you and I think that's because you work so well together."

"But what about Chloe and Jimmy? We all thought that they were fine-happily married with a baby and then they separated and… there was something in Chloe's eyes when she told us that she was pregnant recently. I can't describe it, but there was something there. I know that Lois saw it too."

Oliver sighed. "Yeah, I know, but Chloe and Jimmy seem to have worked out everything. At least that's something. Clark, I-er-I tried to speak to Tess, but she didn't want to see me. As long as she's talking to someone, that's what matters. I'll see you." He nodded in acknowledgement, as he always did, then walked back to his car.

The next morning, the kitchen was very packed and it was beginning to annoy Lois. Clark was sitting down, eating and reading the paper and Jane and Ben were in their highchairs, but Lex was walking around, as if he were searching for something. Lois was watching him and found it hard to keep her mouth shut when she saw Lex pour cream into his coffee, so she walked over to the table, but was not very impressed when there was no cereal left. She exchanged a look with Clark and she could tell that he could see and understood her frustration, even if their guest did not and was walking around the kitchen as if he owned the place. "Do you have any donuts?"

Lois threw Clark a look, then replied, "No, we don't, but we have normal bread. Would you like some?" She passed him a slice of bread, which he bit and then put back into its container. To prevent his wife from snapping at Lex, Clark quickly stood up, grabbing his jacket, saying that he and Lex needed to leave for work. He kissed the twins goodbye, then Lois, who also gave him a thankful smile.

As soon as Clark and Lex were in Clark's office, Lex asked, "Does your wife never shop? There's no decent food in the house!" Clark bit his lip and thought about how to respond to that, when Lex asked, "Is Lois really stressed, because she seemed really stressed this morning?"

"She's worried about you, Lex, we both are." Clark replied, glad that he had not been forced to comment on his wife's shopping habits. He heard Lex sigh and he sat on the desk as he asked, "Are you and Lois really ok with me staying at your house, because I-I get the feeling that Lois isn't?"

Looking down at the desk, Clark answered, "Look, you're my friend and you need a place to stay and figure out what you're going to do next, so you're more than welcome to stay at our house."

Lex his hands across his head and remarked, "You and Lois are so lucky. The first time I saw you guys together, I knew that you'd be perfect for each other-the hard part was making you believe it. You were so scared of messing it up and now look at you. You're in a happy marriage with twins. What could be better?" They began to discuss work, but the phone on Clark's desk started to ring. Lex sprang up and told Clark that, if it were his wife, he was not there, as he did not want to speak to her. Rolling his eyes, Clark picked up the phone and discovered that it was indeed his adoptive sister and she was very stressed, talking frantically about the man who was going to their house to fix the boiler. When she asked where her husband was, Clark lied and told her that he was in the bathroom, but eventually, he became so stressed at listening to Tess that he passed the phone to Lex, despite his friend begging him not to do so.

Lex begrudgingly took the phone and was immediately offended by Tess's aggressive way of speaking to him and by her assumption that he would not do as she was telling him. Clark sat at his desk, listening and watching. He knew that this was his sister's way of defending herself, but both she and Lex were building up barriers to protect themselves, which he feared would drive them further apart, even though that was far from their intention.

After work, Clark suggested to Lex that the two of them grabbed some dinner before going home, as he wanted to give Lois some space, as he had seen how hard it had been for her when Lex had been doing some rather strange food combinations in the kitchen and making a mess in the process. He texted her, telling her what she plan was and she replied that that was fine, but he received the feeling that she was lying.

When they arrived back home, Lex pulled a bear out of the fridge and drank it, reading the paper, whilst Clark walked over to Lois, who was cleaning dishes at the sink. "I went out because I thought you needed space," he told her in a hushed voice, "I thought you were going to bite off Lex's head this morning."

"I know, Smallville. I know." Clark knew that she was just saying that to keep him happy. He sighed. "Lois, please give him a chance. I know that you haven't always liked the way he is with Tess, but he's trying to make it work. He really is."

Turning to face him, Lois asked, "So, walking out on your wife-is that trying to make the marriage work or is it giving up?" She shook her head, then asked if Lex had spoken to Tess. Clark replied that he had, before wrapping his arms around her and kissing her on the neck. That made Lois smile, then she asked Clark if he could move their wardrobe, so he kissed her again and left the room.

Lex walked into Lois and dropped all of what was in his hands. "I'm sorry, Lois. I was trying to get it out of your way and… I'm sorry." Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Lois picked up the brush and assured Lex that it was fine and that she would clean it up. As she did so, she watched Lex pick up the twins one by one and make them laugh and that made her smile. She did not forgive him for walking out on his wife or children, but she was grateful that he was so fond of Jane and Ben, as they meant more to her than she could express. She was also well aware that Lex was doing it deliberately, to get on her good side, but she was not going to complain about that.

Later that evening, when Clark and Lex were watching the football and the twins, Lois made her way to _Metro Café_ , where she was meeting Chloe and Oliver for a coffee, before going round to Tess's. She had not seen her cousin for a while and she wanted to find out how she was, considering that she was pregnant. The three adults sat down at a table with their drinks and Chloe inquired, "So, how are Tess and Lex? Anything new to report?"

Shaking her head, her cousin replied, "Not really. I mean, Tess won't really talk to me. I guess, talking about it can make it more painful, worse than it is for her at the moment."

"I can't believe that Lex just walked out." Chloe remarked, sounded very angry. "One would have thought that he would want to face his problems, not run away from them and that's what he's doing. And he's left his sons. What kind of a father would do that, not matter what is happening in a marriage?"

Oliver shrugged, "I don't know, but Tess may struggle to stand on her own, after being with Lex for so long. She never really had an adult life of her own, did she? I don't know how she'll cope when- if, sorry-they divorce." The three friends continued to talk for a while, before Oliver left to go back to his office and Lois and Chloe made their way to Tess's.

Once the door opened, Alexander and James ran over to them. Chloe picked up James and held him on her hip and took hold of Alexander's hand. "Mummy, can Auntie Chloe put us to bed?" Giving Chloe a grateful smile, Tess kissed her sons goodnight, before Alexander led Chloe upstairs. Tess smiled to herself, before walking into the kitchen. Lois followed her and took off her coat. "How are you, Tess? Really?"

Tess forced a smile and poured cups of coffee for herself and Lois, as she replied, "I'm fine, really. The boys aren't sleeping very well at the moment."

"What have you told them?"

"I've told them that their daddy had to go away for a couple of days." She sat down and asked, "So, has he said anything, or is he just trashing your kitchen?" Despite the situation, Lois laughed. "Yes, he's trashing my kitchen, but no, he doesn't say anything about you. He just seems to be really confused about… everything." She paused, then added, "I really can't understand why he'd leave you."

Tess chuckled darkly and passed Lois her cup of coffee. "I can. I can completely understand why he left-that doesn't mean I like it, though. He left because I have nothing to offer him anymore. He isn't the same person I fell in love with and he doesn't look at me in the same way and he never will again. When we first met, I was creative and that gave him an image in his mind of the kind of person I was, the kind of person I was going to be. But we had Alexander and… everything changed and not for the better. The only thing that kept him here for so long were the boys and even they couldn't keep him there. A part of me doesn't want him back. I feel like such a failure, Lois. I've failed my marriage and my kids."

Shaking her head, Lois responded, "No, you haven't, Tess. You're a wonderful mother"-she was cut off as Tess stood up, glaring at her. "Don't you dare say that-don't you dare, Lois! I have failed my marriage and I can't hide from that fact anymore. We both tried with the counselling and that failed-so what's next? Tell me-what does one do after that has failed to work-what else is left? There is nothing left of our relationship apart from regrets and a whole lot of anger. Anger with each other and ourselves! Lex thinks that I was the first one to pull away first, but I swear that it was him!" Tess paused for a couple of seconds, running her hands through her hair. When she spoke again, her voice was softer and near breaking point. "Maybe this would have happened anyway-we've just grown apart. I mean, that I can happen in any marriage, right? This isn't the first time I've been abandoned, you know. My father walked out on my mother before I was born, so I never knew him, my mother gave me up for adoption because she could no longer cope and… now Lex has done the same thing they did. I suppose the good thing is, now, Lex and I have to face this. Neither of us can hide from the truth any longer, because… there's nowhere left to hide." There was a long silence, then she asked, "Would you mind leaving now? I'd like to be with the boys alone?"

Lois nodded, stood up and put her coat back on. She paused at the kitchen door, as she wished that she could help Tess, but she knew that there was nothing she could do.

The next morning, when Clark went to the gym to play basketball with Oliver and Jimmy, Lex went to the park with Alexander and James. He saw his elder son sitting on the swing in silence, so he walked over to him and asked if he was alright. Alexander shook his head. "Willie's daddy never comes home. Are you going to come home soon, Daddy?"

Lex could feel his heart break as he saw the hurt in his son's eyes. "I-er-soon- Mummy and I are just trying to work out what's best for everyone. How about you, me and James go swimming next weekend? How does that sound?"

"Well, the swimming sounds fun, but are you not going to be home before then?" The innocence in Alexander's voice was causing Lex's heart to ache; of course his son did not understand what was happening, as far as he was concerned, his daddy was not at home and that was not normal. "No, buddy, I don't think so." The disappointment in his son's eyes was clear, but he ran off to play, leaving Lex feeling very guilty for putting his children through this. Clark had been right: he should have sorted himself out before marrying Tess, but their relationship had been an impulse thing and he had not considered the long-term consequences, he had just gone along with it. Now he wished he had.

An hour later, Lois took Jane and Ben outside to play on the grass, whilst she read her book on grass too, so that she could watch the twins as well as having some time to herself. Her solitude was ended when Clark walked over to him, with a basketball under his arms. He kissed Lois on the head and kissed then twins. "Is Lex not with you?" Lois asked, closing her book.

Clark stood up and sat on the bench. "He took the boys to the park. So, Lois, do you hate Lex or what?"

Lois rolled her eyes. "I don't hate Lex."

"You don't approve because his marriage failed."

Shaking her head, Lois replied, "No, I don't think his marriage failed, I think he failed. He had a perfectly normal, flawed marriage and he walked out. He obviously doesn't care about Tess or his kids that much if he did that. Although, he wouldn't be the first person to do it." She sighed, then asked, "Is it just me or do men stay teenage boys in their heads?"

Chucking, Clark moved closer to her. "Lois, you're the only real girlfriend I've ever had and the only woman I've ever loved. Lex had loads of girlfriends in high school, I had one. Lex is Lex and my father is my father and I'm not either of them. I have no intention of ever leaving you, so you'll have to find something else to worry about. You're stuck with me till death to us part." He moved his face closer to Lois's and they shared a passionate kiss. As their kiss ended, Lois nodded. "I know, Smallville. I know you and I will always be there for each other. The old ball and chain." They rested their foreheads together for a couple of seconds, before turning their attention back to Jane and Ben, who were happily playing on the grass.

Their perfect family time was interrupted when Lex came home with Alexander and James. Clark picked up Jane and Ben and led Alexander and James into the house. Lois was aware that Lex wanted to talk to her, which was why Clark had taken the twins and the boys. She walked into the hallway and waited for Lex. He did indeed walk over to her. "Has it occurred to you that there's another side to this story? I mean, are you interested in the other side or should I just walk out of the house now?"

Lois sat down and told Lex that she was listening and he began: "Everybody likes Tess, because she's such a nice, kind person, isn't she? But that's a façade- as in, that isn't the part I get to see anymore. It's the part I used to see, but now it's just for her friends and the boys. When we first met, that's who she was, the person I fell in love with and I thought that was the woman I was going to be married to, but it all changed after Alexander was born. She became a different person around me, more closed off. She's the one who broke the bargain first, Lois- not me."

Looking now at her hands, Lois remarked, "That was what Tess said about you, that you changed, Lex."

"Lois, I moved out because I thought it was the best thing to do for our marriage-although, I wasn't thinking about her, I was thinking about myself. If I'm honest, I'm not sure if I love her anymore. I know that sounds really bad, but it isn't my fault and the idea of not loving the mother of my children makes me so scared-more scared than I can express in words. I worry about how it's going to affect the boys, but, if I no longer love her, what am I supposed to do? Stay married to her, pretending that everything is as it once was? That would be living a lie, Lois. How can I do that? This would never happen with you and Clark-you would never doubt your love for each other, but I am and that's terrifying for me." There was a silence and Lois sighed to herself-all of this made her marriage and Chloe's seem so simple.

Just then, the front door opened and Tess walked inside. She and Lex immediately looked at each other, then, in a steely voice, Tess asked if she could talk to Lex outside. He nodded and followed her outside. In the kitchen, Clark saw that Alexander was watching his parents talking, so he distracted him with playing with Lego and it distracted James as well.

Outside, Tess was giving Lex a list of days and times when he could see Alexander and James. "I've made an appointment with a divorce lawyer and we have an appointment with her next week." Lex looked up at her in shock. "Wait, Tess, shouldn't we talk about this? Divorce?"

Tess shook her head. "There's nothing to talk about, Lex. You walked out so this is the natural step to take after that happens."

"But that didn't mean I wanted to get divorced! I didn't think that far ahead."

Glaring at him, Tess snapped, "That's my point! You didn't think about any of this-well, I am thinking about and this is the best thing to do. And don't you dare say that you want this to work because of the boys. You walked out on them, you abandoned them and you'd do well to remember that!" With that, she stormed back in Lois and Clark's house, leaving Lex alone with his thoughts.

A couple of minutes later, Tess put Alexander and James into the car to go home. Lex walked over to the car to say goodbye to them. His eyes met briefly with Tess, but he met angry eyes and it made his heart ache. As the car drove away, he felt tears forming in his eyes. Lois, who was standing at the door, walking inside to find Clark, who was standing in the kitchen holding Jane and Ben in his arms. She told him that Lex needed him, so he passed the twins to her and went outside to offer some kind of comfort to his friend.


	14. Chapter 13: Complexities

**_I do not own Smallville, Arrow or the Flash:(. Please, read and review. Let me know what you think:)_**

 _Starring:_

 _ **Tom Welling as Clark Lane-Kent**_

 _ **Erica Durance as Lois Lane-Kent**_

 _ **Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen**_

 _ **Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan**_

 _ **Cassidy Freeman as Tess Luthor**_

 _ **Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor**_

 _ **Laura Vandervoot as Kara Kent**_

 _ **Guest starring:**_

 _ **Aaron Ashmore as Jimmy Olsen**_

 _ **Emily Bett Richardson as Felicity Lance**_

 _ **Grant Gustin as Barry Allen**_

Chapter 13: Complexities.

A couple of weeks later, when Clark was out playing basketball with Oliver, Jimmy and Lex and Lois and Chloe were spending some time together with their children, Lois received a text from her cousin-in-law, asking if she could go to see her. Jane began to cry, so Lois picked her up and held her on her knee. Nicolas was asleep in the cot next to his second-cousin and Chloe smiled as he looked very peaceful. She could see herself in her son and that made her very happy, she was glad that she was able to provide that for her dad. She was his only child, so he knew that having a grandchild meant more to him than he could ever express. She had always worked to maintain her relationship with her dad, even though she had not seen or heard from her mother since she had been 11.

The door opened and Kara walked into the kitchen, looking very stressed about something. "Kara, what's wrong?" Lois asked, holding her daughter close to her.

"I couldn't believe it, when Clark told me about Uncle Johnathan. I can't believe that he did that to Aunt Martha. It's surreal. How is Clark handling it?"

"Pretty much the way he deals with everything hard-he denies that it's happened and hopes that things will return to the way they were. But Martha's moved into a flat here, so she and Johnathan aren't living together now, he's living in their house, with Nell, which I think kind of makes matters worse. Anyway, how are you- besides that of course?"

Kara sat down on the sofa opposite her cousin-in-law and Chloe. "I'm fine-I just-well I haven't been back there since-since I broke up with Oliver-well, since he broke up with me. After he ended it, I kissed him passionately and he didn't respond, which I guess says it all. I guess, I thought that we worked well together and we did. We can still be friends, but he can't not have relationships because he's still in love with Felicity, can he? What kind of life would that be?" As she was speaking, she avoiding looking at Chloe, as she knew that Chloe was aware of her true feelings for Jimmy.

Chloe smiled sadly, then remarked, "I don't think Ollie was trying to hurt you-he was trying to protect you and he thought that dating you, whilst he was in love with someone else, wouldn't be fair. He was trying to do the right thing."

"And did Oliver tell you this?" Kara asked, in an angry and resentful tone. Chloe looked down at the floor and whispered, "Ollie didn't have to tell me, I worked it out on my own." There was a long silence, then she stood up and put on her jacket. "I'm going to go home. Thanks for the food, Lo." She kissed her cousin, her second-cousins, then picked up Nicolas and carried him out of the house, closing the door behind herself.

As soon as the door was closed, Lois asked, "So, was one of the reasons Oliver ended it because of Jimmy? I'm guessing that you didn't want to say that in front of Chloe. Did I guess right?"

"That's what Oliver said," Kara replied in a dismissive tone, before adding, "And he's right, but what I did ended my relationship with Jimmy and I can't get him back. Even if he weren't married, he wouldn't take me back. He has too much respect for himself.. and he doesn't love me the way he loves Chloe. I really wanted it to work with Oliver, I think we worked well together and I-I wanted something in my life to go well." She was silent, then asked, "Do you think I should speak to Chloe, Lois?"

Lois kissed her daughter again, then replied, "I think it would be a good idea. Just explain it to her." Kara nodded, then kissed the babies goodbye before leaving the house. She made her way to Chloe and Jimmy's house and was very relieved when it was Chloe who answered the door rather than Jimmy, as she was not sure if she could face him, considering everything that he had happened recently. "Kara? What can I do for you?"

Kara cleared her throat, then began, "One of the reasons Oliver ended our relationship was because I was still in love with Jimmy-which is true. I messed up my relationship with Jimmy and I have to deal with that. I want you to know that… whilst he did love me when we were together, he didn't love me the way he loves you. You're really lucky to have him and he's lucky to have you." She smiled, then asked, "Anyway, I'm going to a bookshop for a quick look. Would you like to come with me?"

Chloe smiled and nodded. "Yeah, sure. Let me just go tell Jimmy." She liked the idea of trying to get to know Kara, as she meant a great deal to both Lois and Clark. "Jimmy?" she called and found him in Nicolas's bedroom, reading and watching their sleeping baby. She wrapped her arms around him. "I'm going out with Kara for a while. Is that ok?"

Her husband looked suddenly scared. "Is that safe? I mean, with the baby?" His hands went to her stomach and Chloe found herself smiling at how much he cared and worried about her and their unborn child. "Jimmy, I'm only about 5 weeks pregnant. I'll be fine and you're only a phone call away."

Jimmy squeezed his hands against her stomach in an affectionate way and beamed with happiness. "I still can't believe we're going to have another kid. I mean, I'm very happy about." He chuckled and Chloe did the same, before she asked, "What would you like to have-boy or girl, I mean?"

Jimmy's eyes fell on their sleeping son, then he replied, "Well, we already have a little boy, so I'd like a baby girl, but in the long-term, as long as it's healthy… that's all that matters, right?" He paused, then added, "I love you, Chloe." Chloe bit back a smile and leaned closer to him and they kissed softly. When they parted, Chloe stood up to her full height and picked up her mobile phone. "Be good while I'm gone, boys." She kissed Nicolas goodbye, grabbed her jacket and left the house to join Kara. She texted Lois, telling her where she was going, to which her cousin simply replied ' _Good_ '.

Chloe and Kara made their way to the biggest book shop in Metropolis which was a couple of minutes' walk away from Chloe and Jimmy's house. "I'm glad that you agreed to come with me," Kara confessed as they walked around the shop, "there's a lot going on in my life at the moment and, as great as Lois is, she doesn't always understand. The two of you are close, right?"

Smiling, Chloe nodded. "We're family. We grew up together, since I was 11. When she left for Yale it was very strange-not having her there, I mean."

"And when she came back, her priorities and life were different?" Kara guessed, but Chloe remained silent. "She and Clark got together and they suddenly only really cared about each other. Don't get me wrong-I love Clark and I know he loves me, but there was something different about him after he and Lois got together. It was almost as if he were a different person. Are you telling me you didn't notice that change in Lois?"

Chloe remained silent, keeping her eyes glued on the books. She did not want to discuss her relationship with Lois or how it had changed. She knew that Kara was right, but she did not want to confess to that, to Oliver or Jimmy, but not to Kara. So, she observed in a non-comitial tone, "I guess that's what true love does to you." Kara could hear the hidden meaning in Chloe's voice, but she said nothing, but she was secretly glad that she was not the only one who had been affected by Lois and Clark's relationship. She loved Clark dearly, but he was also a changed man since he had met Lois.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a young man walked over to them, holding a card up to Kara. "Is this yours, miss? I think you must have dropped it?" Chloe internally rolled her eyes, as Jimmy had employed the same 'trick' to gain her attention and she wondered if Kara would be as susceptible to this trick as she had been.

An hour later, Chloe was proved correct, as she and Kara departed the shop and the latter had a date the following evening and she and this man, who was named Evan, had exchanged mobile numbers. Kara also seemed far happier than she had done in a while and Chloe was glad about that, as she knew that Lois and Clark worried about Kara.

The next morning, Jimmy left the house early for an assignment. He was going to be away for a couple of days and Chloe knew that she was going to miss him. He had offered to not go on the trip, but she did not want him to do so because of her pregnancy. After having her own breakfast and feeding Nicolas, she went to Lois and Clark's before dropping off Nicolas at nursery.

Kara was there also and telling Lois and Clark about the man whom she had met. When Chloe walked into the kitchen, Lois threw her a thankful look, which made Chloe realise that her cousin was bored with Kara's narrative. Clark, on the other hand, did not seem too impressed. "Do you know anything about this guy?"

Kara was silent for a couple of seconds, before snapping, "I don't need your permission to date someone, Clark! You're not my father!" With that, she picked up her coat and stormed out of the house. Clark turned to his wife, confused, as he asked, "What did I say, or do?"

Smiling, Lois replied, "I think Kara's feeling quite isolated and lonely at the moment. So, if she has a date and she likes this guy, that can't be a bad thing, can it?" Her tone of voice was such that, if he dared to contradict her, she would not happy. Luckily, Clark heard this tone in her voice and dropped the subject. "I've got to get to work. I'll see you later." He and Lois kissed, then he kissed the twins goodbye and walked out of the door.

Lois took in her cousin's appearance and asked, "You ok, cuz? You look a bit… off. Is it morning sickness again?"

Shaking her head, Chloe answered, "No-I just-Jimmy's away for a couple of days and I-I miss him. Are you free tonight? I thought maybe I could leave Nicky with Oliver and you and I could go to see a film, or something-like the old days?" _Like we used to before you were with Clark_ , she added in her head, but did not speak aloud.

Sadly, Lois shook her head. "Sorry, Chlo. Clark and I are going out tonight. But why don't you ask Oliver if he's free?"

"No. I don't think Jimmy would like that." Chloe replied, before she could stop herself. Her eyes met with her cousin's and she could see the confusion. Lois wanted to ask why that was the case, considering that Oliver was her best friend, but before she could, Chloe picked up her son and left for the work, leaving Lois wondering why Jimmy would have a problem with his wife spending time with Oliver.

Upon arriving at Queen Industries, Chloe went straight to her office and nearly jumped when she found that Felicity was sitting in her chair. "Felicity!- what are you doing here?"

Felicity stopped fiddling with her glasses and answered, "I need to talk to you and I couldn't talk to Oliver, because-well, it's concerning Barry." She passed Chloe a cup of coffee, which she had bought from Metro Coffee earlier.

Chloe nodded and took off her coat. "Ok. What is it? What's happened?" She sat down in the chair opposite her desk, waiting for her friend to begin speaking and explaining why she was there. Chloe was glad that her official working time did not begin for another hour.

Smiling slightly, her friend began, "Well, Barry and I have been dating for a while now and his daughter seems to really like me, which is good. But I-I think I'm falling in love with him and I'm not sure if I should tell him. What would you do?"

"If you think you're in love with him, then tell him. If he feels the same way, he'll say it back and I'm sure he will." Chloe paused, then asked, "So, why couldn't you have this conversation with Oliver, may I ask? The two of you have known each other since you were little-you tell each other everything."

There was a silence, then Felicity answered, "Until about a year ago, Oliver and I were like brother and sister. Our parents had been friends, we'd attended the same school, the same university.. but after your wedding, something changed between us and I started to see him in a different way and he me and… everything got so complicated. I loved him, but I ended our relationship because I thought that he wasn't committed to me and then he told me that he'd been about to propose and- he still loves me, but I don't love him anymore and that's why I can't have this conversation with him. You're so lucky that you have Lois, Chloe, because she's always there for you, as your cousin and sister, but I don't have that. My brother lives in Star City, as do my parents. I think I love Barry and I want him to know how I feel. I'll tell him tonight and see how he responds." She paused, then picked up her coffee. "Thank-you, Chloe. You're a good friend."

Chloe smiled to herself, before beginning work. She knew why Lois could not spend the evening with her, but that did not make it any easier and Chloe knew that spending that time with Oliver would not be a good idea, despite the fact that he was her best friend. As that thought finished forming her head, Oliver walked into her office, in his full suit, so she knew that he was there on official business. He asked her about the computer system for a while, then asked, "Chloe, what's wrong? You seem far away?" he sat on her desk, watching her closely.

"I just-I'm missing spending time with Lois. I know it sounds stupid, but I really am."

"What's brought this on, she and Clark have been married for five years?"

Sighing, Chloe asked, "It's just something Kara said, really. After Clark started dating Lois, did he change, because Lois did? She became a better person and she-she must have known that Clark was the one for her." She paused, then added, "I asked Lois if she wanted to go to see a film this evening-Jimmy's away, you see- and she said that she and Clark are doing something together. My first thought was that this wouldn't have happened before she was with Clark. I mean, I see her loads, but it isn't the same as when we were younger."

Oliver smiled slightly. "Maybe she feels the same about you. You've changed since you met Jimmy, Chloe. You're not the same person you were, just like Lois. Changing because of marriage is normal, but I'm sure you know that if you were in trouble, you could go to Lois and she would do all she could to help."

Chloe bit back tears and whispered, "Yeah, she would. We're family." She smiled at Oliver, then asked, "Are you free tonight? Would you like to watch a film with me and Nicky?"

A smile spread across Oliver's face as he nodded. "I would love that. You can go round to my apartment after work." He stood up and nodded. "I'll see you later then, Chloe." With that, he walked out of the office, leaving Chloe feeling both happy and nervous. Oliver had an understanding of her which even Lois did not have, but maybe that would be the case with Jimmy, if she spoke to him about this kind of stuff?

That evening, Felicity made her way to the restraint where she was due to meet Barry. She felt sick with both nerves and excitement. She was sure that she loved Barry and she wanted to tell him more than anything. She was sure that he felt the same way, which made her feel more comfortable. He walked over to her and they kissed briefly, before he sat down. "Barry, I have something to tell you." Felicity began, but her boyfriend spoke over her, looking very nervous. "Felicity, I think I should go first." He looked into her eyes and smiled slightly, so Felicity nodded and remained silent.

Barry cleared his throat. "Felicity, these past couple of months with you have been amazing. I never thought that I'd be able to feel this way about anyone after Iris died." He paused and looked into her eyes. "I think I'm falling in love with you and that's why I think we should stop seeing each other before we do or say anything we can't take back." She was in so much shock that he continuing talking. "I know this makes me sound like a coward, but I don't want to risk ruining our friendship, which is why it's best to end it here."

"Barry, no!" Felicity replied, in a harsh voice. "Barry, we can make this work! I want to be with you-don't bail on me now! I think I'm falling"-

"Don't say it, Felicity, don't even think it!" Barry stood up and looked down at the ground. As he looked back up at her, she saw that there were tears in his eyes. "This hurts me more than anything, believe me, but it's the best thing to do. No matter what, we'll always be in each other's lives." He turned to walk away, but Felicity stood up and grabbed his arm. There were tears in her eyes as well. "This is not the best thing to do, Barry! If you leave me, I may fall back in love with Oliver and I can't go through that again! I can't! I want to be with you."

Forcing himself to look away from her, he whispered, "Maybe you and Oliver are meant to be together, Felicity. Believe me when I tell you that the way I feel about you now will never change. Ever." He cupped her face with his hand and kissed her passionately before walking away.

Meanwhile, Lois and Clark dropped Jane and Ben with Martha and went to the café where they were having dinner together. "Clark, why are you being so negative to Kara about her new boyfriend? She seems to really like him."

Clark sighed and replied, "I just don't want her to get hurt again, Lois. I'm still angry with Oliver for breaking up with her-I think he gave up on their relationship too quickly."

Lois sighed. She reached across the table and took hold of Clark's hand. "Smallville, I can understand you wanting to protect your cousin, I really can, but Kara's a grown woman and she has to make her own decisions in life. To be honest, I wasn't sure about Chloe dating Jimmy, but they're happy together, so I was wrong and maybe you're wrong about this guy."

Squeezing his wife's hand, Clark asked, "How is it you always know what to say and do to get me to see the truth? You really are one of a kind, Lois Lane-Kent."

"Well, obviously." Lois smiled, biting her lip. Clark moved across the table and they gently kissed, before returning to their meal.

Chloe picked up Nicolas after work and then made her way to Oliver's private apartment in the Clock Tower. Oliver was sitting there, in jeans and a jumper, with a film already cued up on the tv. He pulled Nicolas in his arms and settled the baby onto his knee. Chloe carefully sat beside him, so as not to disturb her son when he was so comfortable. Just as she was feeling content, one of Oliver's guards walked in, informing Oliver that Felicity wanted to see him. Frowning, Oliver nodded and kissed Nicolas on the head as they waited for her to enter.

"Felicity, I thought you were out with Barry?" Chloe asked as her friend walked into this apartment. Both Chloe and Oliver could see that she had been crying and Chloe wondered what had happened. Felicity sat down and Oliver asked her what was wrong. In an almost broken voice, his childhood friend answered that Barry had broken up with her.

Oliver stared at her, in shock. "What, why? What did he say? What did he say?" he asked the question again in a gentler voice.

Inhaling a deep breathe, Felicity replied, "He said that he thought he was falling for me and that we had to stop our relationship before we did or said something we couldn't take back. But I love him and I want to be with him and know he feels the same way-he's just scared of loosing me like he lost Iris. He said that we'll stay friends, but how can we? I love him and I know he loves me too." She paused, then asked, "Why is it that I can never have a happy ending?" Neither Chloe nor Oliver could think of how to comfort their friend, so they put their arms around her and held her as she cried from a broken heart.

The next morning, Chloe was woken up by Jimmy kissing her. Blushing and smiling, she sat up and exclaimed, "Jimmy, what are you doing here? I thought you were away until tonight!" Smiling and wrapping his arms around her, he replied, "Well, I missed you-the three of you." He felt Chloe's sadness and asked her what was wrong.

Sighing, Chloe replied, "It's nothing-it's just, my relationship with Lois isn't what it used to be and I understand why, but that doesn't make it easier." She paused, then asked, "Since we've been married, do you think I've changed?"

Jimmy nodded. "Yes, I think you've become more responsible, before of having Nicky… but I also think that you've become more reserved, with me anyway. I see you looking at me and it's as if you're trying to work out if I still love you." Chloe bit her lip and rested her head on his chest. "I have trust issues. I have ever since-ever since I was sent to live with Lois."

Slipping down to the side of the bed, Jimmy took hold of her hands and looked into her eyes. "Chloe, you don't have to worry about me. I'm not going anywhere, ok? I'll always love you. I get why you can't tell me everything about you, but that doesn't matter, because the Chloe Sullivan whom I do know is the one I love and the one I have a son with." He moved his face closer to hers and kissed her gently. "We're meant to be together, Chloe."

Despite herself, Chloe smiled, then asked, "Have you thought of any names for our new addition?"

"Yes, actually." Jimmy sat back up on the bed. "If it's a girl either Emily or Grace and if it's a boy either Adam or Ben. How do they sound?" A genuine smile spread across his wife's face and she whispered back, "They sound perfect, Jimmy." She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, soaking up this moment of perfect happiness.


	15. Chapter 14: Shocks

**I do not own Smallville, Flash or Arrow. Warnings: mentions of death throughout the entire chapter. Please read and review:)**

Chapter 14: Shocks.

A couple of weeks later, Clark received a call which he was not expecting. It was his father and he called him, saying that he and Nell were going to Metropolis and he was wondering if they could stay with him and Lois. Clark stayed silent for a while, then replied that that would be fine, before hanging up. He had not spoken to his father for months and he was unsure of how to act around his father. His mum and father were now officially divorced. Martha had moved back to Smallville and was now living at the Kent Farm with Conner, whilst Johnathan and Nell had moved into a flat in Smallville. Clark knew that his parents had spoken to each other and he knew that, deep down, they still loved each other.

The weekend of their arrival dawned on them and Clark was deeply resentful that Tess had gone away for the weekend in order to avoid their father and his girlfriend. On the morning of their arrival, Clark had to go into work, so he went to the kitchen dressed in his suit whilst Lois was wearing a dressing gown. "Could this day get any worse?" He asked, as he sat down next to the twins, who were happily muttering to themselves.

Lois sighed and placed his breakfast on the table, as she knew that he was too stressed to make it himself and she could understand why. "Clark, it might not be so bad. I mean, it's only for a couple of days-what's the worst that could happen, you've met Nell before?"

Clark ran his hands through his hair. "Yeah, I have, but as Lana's mother-not as my father's girlfriend and former mistress." He was silent for a while, then asked, "Where are we taking them, for dinner tonight?"

For a moment, Lois said nothing, then she turned around to face her husband and Clark could see the frustration already forming in her eyes. "Clark, you said that we should have a meal here, so I've prepared one. I've also made a list of things I can do with Nell, so that you and your dad can have some alone time, I'm sure you'll thank me later."

"Lois, I don't want to see him. I know he's my father, but seeing him is going to be awkward enough without Nell being there."

"And that's why I'll be with her to give you and your dad a chance to talk. He's your dad and he loves you, no matter what." When Clark made no reply, Lois walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Smallville, he's your dad and the only one you're ever going to have. You have to make an effort, but I will support you no matter what, ok?" Her husband nodded and kissed her and the twins, before leaving for work.

As soon as he was at work, Lex could tell that his friend was in a bad mood, but he knew that it was best not to ask, because that would annoy Clark. Instead, he asked, "Do you know where Tess has gone with the boys?"

Staring at his computer, Clark replied, "Coast City. I think the boys wanted to see the sea." He was very annoyed that Tess was not going to be there, as he wanted her back-up, but he also knew that he had Lois, the twins, Oliver and Lex, so he knew that he did indeed have back-up, even if it were not from his sister. What he had found strange was that Conner had called him the night before and he asked him how the twins were, which both Lois and Clark had found very strange, considering that the brothers spoke very rarely. Conner had moved back into their family home with their mum in Smallville. After a long silence, Clark finally admitted, "My father's coming here in the afternoon and I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about and what makes it worse is that he's coming with Nell. He and Mum are divorced now, but it's still... weird."

Lex nodded. "I know what you mean-the first time I met one of my father's mistresses, it was so strange."

"It's like I was telling Lois, though-I have met Nell before. As my ex-girlfriend's mother and now I'm meeting her as my dad's former mistress." Lex had no words of comfort to offer, so he left Clark's office and went back to his own. Slowly, Clark retrieved a photo from his desk-draw and stared at it for a while. It was of him and his parents and it had been taken the year before Conner had been born. In the photo, he was sitting in his dad's arms, smiling, looking happy and loved. If only he could be that innocent now and see his father in the way he had when he had been that age, but that was impossible, no matter how much he wished it to be so. He knew that no matter what, there were three people who supported him and loved him more than anything: Lois, Jane and Ben and that thought filled him with happiness, eradicating some of the dread which he was feelings regarding seeing his father and his father's former mistress and present girlfriend.

As the afternoon came upon him, Clark left his office and made his way home. He knew that Lois would be working hard on the dinner to ensure that it was 'perfect' for his father and Nell, even though Clark had told her that he did not care about the quality of the dinner, because he did not want to see his father this way; he wanted to see him alone, without Nell. An hour after returning home, the doorbell rang. Lois scooped Jane and Ben into her arms, before kissing Clark lightly on the check, then walked over to the door and opened it. Much to his surprise, his father and Nell looked as they had the last time he had seen them. Clark forced a smile and kissed Nell on the check, in order to be polite. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father hugging Lois and then kissing the twins hello, then his eyes fell on him. Clark glanced at Lois, who understood and led Nell into the kitchen. For the first time, Clark met his father's eyes and was surprised that he saw so much love and warmth in them. Smiling, he said, "Hi, Dad. It's good to see you."

His father surveyed him with proud eyes, then replied, "It's good to see you too, son." He moved forward and pulled Clark into a hug, trying to relieve the tension he could sense in his son, but when he did not feel the tension relieved, he suggested that the two of them go for a walk, for some time alone. Reluctantly, Clark nodded, grabbed his jacket and followed his father out of the house. From the door of the kitchen, Lois saw them leave and she sighed to herself, before turning her attention back to her father-in-law's girlfriend. She already knew that she preferred Martha to Nell.

Clark and Johnathan made their way to the park, discussing topics such as football and cricket. Once at the park, Johnathan sat down on a bench, Clark followed suit and he could tell that his father desired now to have a serious conversation with him now that they were alone and the ice had broken a bit. "Son-er-I have two things to tell you. They're both important and you need to know, so don't say anything until you've heard everything." He paused, then asked, "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

Not looking his father in the eye, Clark replied that he wanted the bad news first. He assumed that it was going to be about Nell or his mother, but he said nothing and listened.

Johnathan sighed, then began, "Clark-I went to the hospital in Metropolis a couple of weeks ago and they-er-they told me that, with the right medication, I have about 6 months to live-with treatment-without it, I have a couple of weeks." For a couple of seconds, Clark stared at his father in shock, not knowing what to say. When he felt tears brimming in his eyes, he asked in barley a whisper, "Do Tess and Conner know? Does Mum know?"

Biting his lip and moving closer to his son, Johnathan nodded. "Yes, your mother was the first person I told and Nell knows too. I spoke to Tess and Conner. That's why Tess is away this weekend-so that I could tell you without having to worry about anything or anybody else. I'm surprised that Martha hasn't told Lois, but I understand why, because Lois would never be able to keep something like that from you." When his son just stared at him and said nothing, he continuing, "In the light of-that, I went to see your mother and she and I have reconciled… in the best way that an ex-husband and wife can. By the time I… go, I want to legally be bound with Nell. I love her, son, so she and I are going to get married tomorrow at a chapel. Do I have your blessing?"

All of the anger which Clark had felt before drained away and he looked his father in the eye. He just nodded, unable to speak a single word. He rested his head on his hands and closed his eyes, wanting time to think about what his father had just told him. Johnathan was still for a second, then he reached out and ruffled his son's hair, as he had done when he had been a child and he was glad that Clark smiled affectionately at that gesture. All Clark could think of was wanting to be in Lois's arms and holding Jane and Ben close to his heart.

When Clark and Johnathan arrived home, Lois instantly saw the tears brimming in her husband's eyes. She walked over to him, took hold of his hand and led him into the sitting room. Clark pulled Lois into a tight hug and cried onto her shoulder. He inhaled a deep breath, then told her all of what his father had told him. All that time, Lois just cupped his face with one of her hands and listening. When he was finished, she asked, "Is there anything I can do to help, Smallville?"

"I don't know-can you turn back time, so that I don't spend months angry with my father and now I find out he's going to die?" Clark snapped and tried to walk away, but Lois forced him to look at her and he saw that there were tears in her eyes. He cupped her face with his hands as she whispered, "I care about him too. I'm here for you, ok?" He nodded and kissed her on the head, before walking out into the kitchen. There, he saw his father and Nell crying in each other's arms and, with a shock, he realised that they really did love each other.

An hour later, Clark and Nell accompanied Johnathan to Metropolis General Hospital, as he had to have a check-up. Lois had offered to go to support her husband, but Clark had told her that he would be fine. Standing in the waiting room with Nell, however, he was beginning to regret that decision and he also wished that he had his children with him. He glanced at Nell and saw that she was fighting back tears, so he asked, "Nell, is there anything I do to help?"

Nell nodded. "Yes, Clark, there is: stop treating me like the enemy. I can see it in your eyes-you blame me for your parents' divorce and I understand that, but your father and I didn't do anything wrong-as far as I knew at the time anyway."

Frowning, Clark asked, "What do you mean? As far as you knew?"

Sighing, Nell replied, "I'll start from the beginning. I'm assuming your father didn't tell you that I was his girlfriend before your mother? He and I dated in high school-started when we were 15, a bit like you and Lana"- Clark moved uncomfortably at the mention of Lana, whom he had never really loved, not in the way he loved Lois- "we fell in love, you see. We were so happy, but then after we left school, your father went to Met U to do a course and he met your mother, who was at law school at the time I think. He broke up with me and they later married. My heart was broken and I married Lana's father, Henry Lang, but I never loved him as much as I loved your father: he was the love of my life. Who's the love of your life, Clark?"

"Lois: she's my wife."

"The two don't always go together-and they didn't in your father's case. He did love your mother, I don't doubt it, but it wasn't the same kind of love. When we met again, he wasn't wearing his wedding ring and he led me to believe that he and your mother had separated. I know now that that was not the case, but I didn't at the time. So, you see, I didn't know that your father was cheating on your mother in the way he was and if I had, I-I would've done it. I cared about Martha, she was my friend, I didn't want to hurt her, or you, or your brother or sister. I saw him again and all of those feelings came rushing back." She paused, then continued, "After your father was diagnosed with-this, the first person he called was your mother and then when he told me, he asked me to marry him and I accepted."

Clark bit his lip, then asked, "Why did he tell Tess and Conner before me?"

Nell shook her head and smiled slightly. "Because… you're the one he's wanted to protect more than the others. He loves you all so much-all he can ever talk about is you, Tess and Conner. It makes me quite envious. I'm only in contact with Lana, I don't even know where her brothers are." She turned to face Clark. "I don't expect you to forgive me straight away, Clark, but I would like it if we could try to be friends-or would that be too much to ask of you, given the circumstances?"

Looking in on his father in the bed through the glass, Clark sighed and looked back at Nell. "Given the circumstances, I think we can try to do that. This-event has changed everything, hasn't it? Would you like Lois to help you with clothes for the wedding?" he offered, as a way to 'be nice'. He was making the effort for his father, not for her.

Nell forced a smile and shook her head. "No, thanks. Lana helped me with that. I wish that the marriage were under different circumstances, but it is what it is, I guess." She was silent for a couple of seconds and her eyes fell on her fiancée on the other side of the glass and Clark felt his heart twist as he saw the love they communicated in a single look. "You know, Lana still isn't married," she remarked, changing her focus back to Clark, "she dated Lex for years and then he broke up with her. I believe he's married to Tess, your sister, now?"

Clark just nodded.

"Yes, I read in the papers that they've legally separated. Is that true?" Once again, Clark just nodded, not wanting to betray his sister or brother-in-law. Clark was pulled out of his thoughts when the man in question appeared behind him, looking concerned. "Nell, would you like a coffee?" Clark asked, as a way to move around, take his mind off what was happening and to talk to Lex. Nell said that she would love one, so Clark nodded and walked to the machine with Lex.

In a low voice, Lex inquired what was going on and Clark told him everything he had told Lois earlier. After he had finished, Lex exhaled deeply. "I'm so sorry, Clark. I'm here if you need anything, you know that." Clark nodded in thanks, then rested his head against the machine, out of frustration with himself. "I'm just-just so angry that I've spent months hating him and being angry with him for having an affair and leaving my mum, when he was so sick and now all of those feelings make me feel awful. I didn't even want to see him today and now…What do I do, Lex?"

"Stop beating yourself up; none of this is your fault and…enjoy having time with your dad because that time will be gone soon. This is coming from someone who's lost a parent, Clark, and believe me, you don't understand until it happens to you. I can't believe I'm saying this-but if you need support, Queen can help. He lost his parents. Make the most of the time you have left." With that, Lex walked away, leaving Clark unsure of what to do next.

Later that evening, Clark returned home, but Johnathan had to stay there for the night and Nell had offered to stay with him; Clark had also offered, but his father had wanted his fiancée there, so he respected his wishes and went home. Lois was sitting in bed, reading her book, wearing her glasses. "Smallville, how was the hospital?" Clark gave a very quick and short reply, then began to change into his PJs and he lay down in bed, turning his back to Lois.

After asking him another question and receiving nothing, Lois closed her book and snapped, "Clark, don't do this to me! Don't push me away, not now, when you need me!"

"How else am I supposed to deal with this?" Clark asked, in a similar tone. "I feel as if this is all my fault." There was a long silence, then he turned around to face her and she lay down next to him. Sighing, he whispered, "I love you so much." He reached out for her glasses and slowly slipped then off her face and placed them on the table and he cupped her face with his hands. Smiling, Lois whispered back, "I love you too, Smallville. I love your dad too and you have to let me be there to help you through this." Clark smiled back and kissed her passionately; Lois kissed him back with equal passion and she made her way under the covers…

The next morning, Clark was glad when Oliver texted him, asking him if he wanted to go for lunch together after he had visited his father in the hospital. He told Lois and was worried that she would be offended because he was not spending as much time with her as he normally did, but she understood and knew that talking to Oliver was easier than talking to her, even though she was best friend and wife. After visiting his father and Nell in the hospital (which was very depressing as his father was asleep all of the time he was there), he texted Oliver, telling him where he was and asking him where he wanted to meet up with him.

A couple of minutes later, Oliver walked over to him, in a suit and tie, with two packets of ready-made sandwiches. "I figured you might need something easy." His friend observed as he passed Clark one of his sandwiches. Clark nodded in thanks, then he sat down on the wall and Oliver did the same thing, opening up his sandwich. There was a silence, then Clark said, "Seeing him like that-it isn't what I expected. I've never seen him like that before and I can't bear the thought of him being in pain for months, knowing that he's going to die. He and Nell are getting married this afternoon." He added as an afterthought more than a proper statement. He sighed, then asked, "With your dad-your parents- it was quick, wasn't it? It was an explosion?"

Oliver was silent for a while, then he replied, "Yeah, it was. It was quick." He hesitated, then said in a gentle voice, "Clark, before my parents' plane blew up, I'd had an argument with them and I-I can't tell you how much that hunts me, every single day. You have a good relationship with your dad."

" _I used to_ , until I found out he'd cheated on my mum," Clark confessed, "I was so angry with him, for betraying her and betraying us-what we had as a family. But I spoke to Nell and she and my dad do really love each other-they were together years ago as teenagers. I've spent so much time hating him for what he did, when really it wasn't about my relationship with him-having an affair didn't mean he didn't love me or Tess or Conner-he just didn't love my mum anymore. I know he doesn't have long left, I-well, none of that matters anymore, you know? All of the anger seems to have gone and now I'm just… sad that I've spent so long hating him."

Oliver smiled sadly. "Clark, talk to him, before it's too late. Make it right or, you'll regret it. Trust me, I know." Clark looked up at his friend and smiled; he knew that Oliver would understand better than any of his other friends, as he was the only one who had lost a parent. No matter how hard it was going to be, Clark knew that he had to forgive his father so that when he died, he had no regrets about their relationship. He did not want that for himself, or for his father.

That afternoon, Johnathan and Nell took their wedding vows and became husband and wife. After that, Clark went round to Kara's flat, where she was having dinner with her boyfriend, and told her about his father's illness and he held her when she cried. She said that she would tell her father first thing in the morning, as she knew that her cousin would not have the strength to do thus. She also told him that if he or his father needed anything, to tell her and she would help in any way that she could. Her boyfriend, Jeremy, seemed like a nice man, which also made Clark happy about leaving Kara with him when she was in such a state.

Upon returning home, Clark went to the bathroom and saw Lois was there, sitting with the twins in her arms. "Clark, can you bath them tonight? If you're not up to it, it's fine, but I do need to make dinner." Her eyes were begging him and he saw how tired she was; for the past day, she had been caring for the twins, as he had been so distracted with dealing with the problems with his father. Clark nodded and told that he would do it, before lifting the twins out of her arms and kissing on the forehead. Lois received the kiss with a smile, as she knew that Clark's way of dealing with stress to try to stay in control of everything else, so she was glad that he was showing her and the twins affection.

Running the bath, Clark placed Jane and Ben in the bath, with their toy ducks and sat down at the side of the bath, watching them play together and look up at him with loving and adoring eyes. _The way I used to look at my dad._ The comparison suddenly popped in Clark's head and he felt tears stinging his eyes as he watched his children. He tried to fight back the sobs, so as not to frighten them, covering his mouth, but he shock with the pain of everything that was happening and he never wanted Jane and Ben to experience this kind of pain, but he also knew that, someday, they would, as would Lois and all the other people whom he loved.

The next morning, Clark made his way to Metropolis General Hospital. At the door, he paused, upon seeing that his father and Nell were hugging and kissing, holding each other close. It made him realise, once again, that they did love each other and, even though Nell was not his mother, he could respect that. His father saw him through the glass and his eyes lit up and he signalled his son to enter the room. When Clark hesitated, Nell stood up and walked over to the door. "He wants to see you. Go in now." Much to her stepson's surprise, she leaned up her toes and kissed him on the check, before walking away. He walked into the room and sat down in a very hard and uncomfortable chair. "Hi, Dad. How are you?"

His father smiled and replied, "I feel a lot better now that Nell and I are husband and wife." He paused, then added, "Son, I want you to know that Nell and I loved each other years before I was with your mother and that doesn't excuse what I did, but…" he trailed off, seeing that his son was not ready to have that conversation. He sighed, as the silence drew on, then he asked, "So, tell me about your friends? Oliver, Chloe, how are they?"

"Yeah, they're fine, thanks. Chloe married last year, to Jimmy Olsen. They have a baby together." He saw something flash across his father's face and it was something which he had seen before, but not for years. "Dad, what is it?" Johnathan propped himself up against the pillows and asked, "So, they got engaged after Chloe found out she was pregnant? Hmmm… interesting timing."

Clark frowned and asked his dad what he was thinking.

Sighing, Johnathan answered, "I just think that she wouldn't have married him had it not been for the baby."

"Dad, they love each other!" Clark exclaimed, shocked at what his father had said. Since when had his father had an opinion about Chloe and her relationships?

Johnathan just nodded, but Clark could tell that he did not believe him. "Yeah, I know, son. But did you know that when Jimmy asked Gabe for his blessing, he said 'no.' I asked Gabe why and he told me that he didn't want his daughter to marry the wrong guy."

Clark shook his head, not wanting to believe his father. "Chloe and Jimmy love each other and, yeah, their relationship moved quicker than most, but they are happy together. I have no doubt that Chloe married the right person. There's nobody else that she could love as much as Jimmy."

"You're lying: I know you think that Chloe settled for Jimmy and that she wonders if he's the one for her. Son, if she really loved him, that fear wouldn't be there. Is it there with you? Do you doubt if Lois is the one for you?"

"No-I know it in my heart." Clark whispered back, before remarking, "Chloe and Jimmy do love each other and they're happy together. Gabe was probably just being overprotective, like you were with Tess."

There was a long silence and their eyes met, as Johnathan murmured, "Clark, I wasn't protective enough of Tess. She married Lex and now she's bitterly unhappy. She doesn't have to tell me, I can see it in her eyes and I'm not surprised they're legally separated. She married the wrong person. She may love Lex and he her, but that doesn't mean that they're meant to be together. Believe me, son. I can spot true love."

Clark found himself chuckling and he explained, "That's what Lois said at Chloe and Jimmy's wedding-about being able to see true love, I mean." He paused, then added, "I'm glad that you're happy with Nell, Dad."

His father reached out for his hand and squeezed it, as he whispered, "You're the child I don't worry about. Because you have Lois and Jane and Ben. They'll always be there for you, just as your mother will… just as I will." He gently ruffled Clark's hair as he had done when he had been a child and Clark smiled back, before standing up and walking out of the room. He knew that he needed to talk to his father about their own relationship, but he decided to save that until tomorrow.

Clark texted Lois, telling her that he had seen his father and now he was on his way to work, so that she did not worry about him, as she always did. As soon as he stepped into his office, he saw that Lex was there and he was not looking very happy. "What's up, Lex?" he inquired, as he took off his jacket and placed in on the back of his chair.

In a tight and rather unpleasant voice, his old friend asked, "Have you finished that report for me? You know, the one about the cooperation between the two companies?"

Clark shook his head and replied, "I'm sorry, Lex. I haven't done it yet, but I will. I promise. I know how important this is to both Queen Industries and LuthorCorp."

"Clark, you've had it for a couple of days! It should be done by now!"

Glaring at his friend, Clark snapped, "I'm sorry, but something personal came up and I'm finding it hard to deal with, so can you just get off my back? I'll have it done for you, I promise." He looked into his friend's eyes, but did not see understanding, but judgement. Lex stood up slowly and walked over to him. "Your father's illness isn't the problem here-it's that you feel guilty for how you've treated him after he walked out on your mum and if you'd know, you wouldn't have given him the cold shoulder like you did. It's the guilt that's eating away at you, Clark."

Clark shook his head in response. "No, it isn't that, Lex! It's the fact that my father is going to die. I'm going to loose my father, the man whom I love and… there's nothing I can do, but make him as comfortable as possible. This time next year… he'll be gone. I won't have a father, Jane and Ben won't have a grandfather and my mum-Mum will loose the only man she's ever loved. So don't presume that you know or understand what I'm going through, because you don't!" He was silent for a while and expected Lex to say something, but he did not. "I'm going to go and see my dad and talk to him-have a proper conversation with him. I'll have the report on your desk in the next couple of days. Please, just trust me?" He met Lex's eyes and his friend just nodded, before he grabbed his bag and jacket and made his way back to Metropolis General.

He saw that his father was lying in the hospital bed and looked really tired, but he walked inside anyway, because he wanted to speak to him about their relationship and he wanted to do it sooner rather than later. "Dad, I have a confession to make," Clark began as he sat down in the chair, "after Mum told me about your affair, I was so angry with you-not just for betraying Mum, but I felt as if you'd betrayed me as well, our family and I stopped seeing you as my hero."

"Son, after what I did, it's natural to be angry. Do you still feel that way now-am I no longer your hero?"

Clark shook his head. "No, you are now, because I realised that, no matter what happened between you and Mum, you're still my father, my dad, and even if you don't love Mum anymore, you still love us. I've finally distinguished between the two." He said the last bit with a sad smile and he saw that his father's eyes were full of tears. "I love you, Dad." He whispered.

His father squeezed his hand and replied, "I love you, too, son. And take my word for it: Chloe and Jimmy's marriage won't last." He sighed, then added, "I'm glad I'm accepted by you again. I was worried that I would die with you still hating me."

"Dad, I could _never, ever_ hate you, no matter what you'd done." Their eyes met and Johnathan smiled a genuine smile, before asking his son about his grandchildren, as he knew that that was a safe and easy topic for his son.

That evening, when Clark arrived home, he saw that Jane and Ben were crawling around the house and that filled his heart with happiness, but this happiness went when he saw Nell and how miserable she was looking. He called Conner, asking him about their father's insurance and began to riffle through the documents in the living room. Due to his frustration with the entire conversation, he snapped at Nell, telling her to leave him alone and he pushed a glass off the table which smashed on the floor near where the twins were sitting. Their cries, because of the loud noise, was the last straw for Clark and he turned to Lois to see her picking up the twins and comforting them. His eyes met with her and, to his surprise, she was not angry, but he could see she was watching him with weary eyes. He walked over to her and murmured, "I've got to get out here. Love you." With that, he walked out of the house, grabbing his jacket and car keys. He made his way to Queen Tower, hoping that his friend would be there. He indeed was, as was Kara.

In Oliver's living room, overlooking most of the city, he made them coffee, then sat down on the other side of Clark. "So, how's it going?" Kara asked her cousin, after having a sip of coffee.

Clark sighed. "How do you think it's going? My father, my dad, is dying and there's nothing I can do for him. He was younger than me when he had me and he was always so strong-such a strong, determined man, and now he's there. And I-I need to be with him, I need to be his son, but I can't do that. It's too hard."

Kara bit her lip, then remarked, "Clark, I love your father, you know I do. But in almost a year, you have given more to Jane and Ben than he has ever given to you in your entire life. You're a better father than him."

Clark felt tears stinging his eyes. "He's always been so strong, someone I relied on and now, what, that connection will just go when he dies? I mean, what's the point? What's the point in having attachments, in loving someone, if they're just going to die? What was the point of Mum loving my father? What's the point in me loving Lois, if all that's going to happen is I'm going to die and leave her alone? When does it get better? What's the answer, can someone please tell me the answer?"

Slowly, Oliver placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "Clark, if you didn't feel this way, you wouldn't be human. Loving is part of being human and a by-product of love is grief, when the person whom you love dies. If you didn't love your father, your mum, Lois, the twins, you wouldn't be human. What you're feeling is normal and it's what makes you human." He could see a look in his friend's eyes which he had never seen before; it was defeat, he had given up on his father, because he knew that he was going to die. Kara threw her arms around her cousin and held him close.

The next morning, Clark went to Lex's office at LuthorCorp and heard that he was on the phone to Tess. As soon as Lex saw his friend, he ended the conversation and Clark walked into the office. "How are things between the two of you?"

Lex shrugged. "Well, they could be better, but they could be better." He pursed his lips. "Clark, I'm sorry about how I spoke to you yesterday. You're going through a hard time right now and I can respect that. I would be hard if you had a normal relationship with your father, but after everything that's happened, it makes it harder, right? Tess is pretty shaken up, although she knew a while ago. Have you spoken to your brother?"

Sighing, Clark nodded. "Yeah, but I can't tell what he's thinking. I have to go to Met Gen, but the report you asked for is on my desk." He threw his friend a smile before leaving the office. Lex turned to the window and stared out at it, wondering if he and Tess would ever be together again.

At Met Gen, Clark found Nell in the café and sat down with her, apologising for snapping at her the previous night. Nell told him that Lois had told her that he would apologise, as that was the kind of man he was, very like his father. At that remark, Clark smiled. Johnathan was asleep and he sat with him for a while, before returning home, as he wanted to see Lois.

Once home, Clark sat in the kitchen and played hide-and-seek with the twins. Lois came in, finding them and picked them up into her arms. In a gentle voice, she asked, "How are you, Smallville?"

"My dad's dying and there isn't anything I can do to help him and I feel as if, if I'd known, I could have done something or asked Lex or Oliver for help. My father-he-he never let me do anything for him, he never admitted his weaknesses. He was always the father, I was the son and that was how it was. Soon he'll be gone, then what I am? I'm not ready to live without his advice, his wisdom. He isn't a saint, but he's still my father."

Lois kissed him on the temple, then said, "Hold them, Smallville. Hold Jane and Ben."

With tears freely falling down his face, Clark shook his head. "No, I can't, Lois. I can't do that to them. They'll lose me too someday. I'll fail them like my father failed me." Despite this, he pulled the twins into his arms and Lois wrapped her arms around him, as the two of them cried, with their children between them.

The next morning, Clark made his way to Met Gen and the staff knew him so well now, but he was not sure if that was a good thing or not. He walked into his father's room to find his father standing up in his usual jacket and clothes. He smiled and walked over to him, producing something from his pocket. "Son, when you were born, your mother and I planted a certain tree in our garden and it's still there and you remember why it's there." Smiling at the memory, Clark replied, "Of course. I love that tree." His father passed him a bag of seeds and squeezed his hand as he whispered, "You and Lois plant these in your garden, then when Jane and Ben grow up, they can see them and know where they come from." Their eyes met and Clark understood what his dad was saying, so he nodded. "They'll know, Dad. I promise."


	16. Chapter 15: Endings

**I haven't updated this story for ages- I started university and things are crazy... :). Anyway, here's the next chapter. Please, read and review-let me know what you think and/or what you would like to happen. Warning: minor character death.**

Chapter 15: Endings.

Inhaling a deep breath, Felicity knocked on the door of Barry's house and waited. They had remained in contact by text, but Felicity wanted him to know that she was not going to give up on their relationship, that she was prepared to work on it and that she was not meant to be with Oliver, but with him. The door opened and Callie opened it. A smile spread across her face and she cried: "Felicity, have you come to play with me before we go away? I hope you have!"

"Go away?" Felicity repeating, forcing her voice to be stable. "Where are you going, sweetie?"

Smiling, Callie answered, "Central City. My grandpa's there and I want to be closer to him and so does Daddy. Are you going to come in?" She asked, hopefully, as she wanted to spend time with her. Felicity nodded and stepped in. Her eyes fell on Barry and, from the look in his eyes, he guessed that seeing her was just as painful for him as it was for her. He forced a smile and asked his daughter to go and play in her bedroom. Callie kissed her dad, then went to her bedroom. As soon as she was in her bedroom, Barry turned his attention back to Felicity. "How are you?" He asked in a stiff tone.

Felicity shrugged, then asked, "Callie told me you're moving back to Central City. When are you leaving?"

Without looking at her, her ex-boyfriend replied, "As soon as possible. We'll still be friends." There was a long silence, then he finally looked at her for the first time. "Why are you here?"

"I want to know why you broke up with me and don't give me the crap about how you don't want to ruin our friendship-I've heard that before!" She did not mean to sound so angry, but these feelings had been building up since he had broken up with her.

Barry sighed, then replied, "Because I don't want to be your second choice, Felicity. You said it yourself, you'll go back to Oliver and maybe that's where you're meant to be. With him."

Shaking her head, Felicity shook her head. "This is pathetic. Yes, I did love Oliver, but I don't anymore and you won't let me declare my love for you! I want to be with you, Barry! Why are you not hearing me? You're the one I want to be with, not Oliver!"

Walking over to her, Barry took hold of her hands and squeezed them. "You can never love me as much as you love him. You and I aren't meant to be together, maybe you and Oliver are and, if so, why should I stand in the way? There's a part of you which still loves him, I know there is. Face your destiny and accept that I'm not a part of it, apart from your best friend." He slowly kissed her on the temple, before walking away, leaving Felicity in a state of shock and upset, unsure of what to do or say next. She knew that, whatever she said, Barry would not listen to her, so she turned her back and walked away.

A day later, on the Monday morning, when Clark was working with Oliver in his office, his mobile phone began to ring and he saw that it was Nell. Sitting down on a chair, he answered the call and she told him what he had feared: his dad had just died. Inhaling a deep breath, Clark told her to go home and that he would see her soon. He ended the call and sat in silence, in a state of shock. Oliver saw the expression on his face and sat down next to him. "Clark, I'm so sorry." He murmured; Clark just shook his head, as he could not talk. All he said was: "Home. Lois. Twins." His friend understood and, picking up his jacket, he led him to his car. In the car, Clark called Lois and Tess, as he could not bring himself to call his mother or brother yet, not until he had gathered himself.

The drive home seemed to take hours, but when they arrived, Clark thanked his friend and Oliver drove off, not wanting to invade his friend's privacy. As soon as he was far away enough, he fished out his mobile phone and called Chloe and Jimmy's house. It was Jimmy who answered and Oliver told him about Johnathan and that he should tell Chloe, so that she knew in preparation for when she saw or called Lois. Understanding the situation, Jimmy agreed and said, if there was anything he could do to help Clark, to let him know. Oliver nodded, before hanging up. He rested his head against the window, trying to break away from memories of his own parents' death and their funeral, as this was a time when his friend needed his support and he could not afford to be engulfed in his memories of losing his own parents.

Clark opened the front door and placed his case on the floor, as he did not have the energy to put it in its proper place. He looked up and saw Lois standing at the doorframe of the kitchen, watching him. Their eyes met and they silently communicated, before Clark stepped forward and Lois ran over to him, enveloping him in a tight hug. He pulled her close to him, needed the comfort at the moment and wanting to be close to her. He pressed his face into her neck, then they leant their faces together, with their lips inches away, comforting each other. Closing his eyes and resting his head against hers, he whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too, Smallville." Lois whispered back, pressing her face against his and squeezing her arms around him; she knew that he needed her more than he ever had before and she wanted him to know that she was going to be there for her, as she knew that he would be there for her. Clark squeezed her once more, before releasing her. Their lips lingered close to each other's for a couple of seconds, but they also knew that now was not a good time to kiss, so Lois pulled away and indicated to her husband to go into the living room. Nodding, Clark walked past her and went into the living room.

Tess and Kara were sitting there, both looking devastated by the death of their father and uncle. He walked over to them and pulled them both into a hug. Kara began to cry, but Tess just rested her head on her brother's shoulder and refused to cry; if she cried, she may not be able to stop. The three of them broke apart and Lois walked into the room. There were traces of tears in her eyes, so Clark walked over to her and put his arm around her, before addressing his sister, "Ok, who do we need to tell? Have you called Mum or Conner?"

Tess looked up at him and answered, "I've called Conner, told him and he and I are in agreement that you should tell Mum. I hope that's ok." She added quickly. Clark nodded and rubbed Lois's arm, as he asked, "So, Lois, who do we need to tell?"

Watching him closely, his wife answered, "Oliver told Chloe and Jimmy, I told Lex and Oliver's told Felicity. Clark, have you spoken to Nell?"

"Yeah, she seemed pretty crushed."

The cries of Ben and Jane brought the four adults out of their thoughts. All of Lois's instincts were telling her to go to give them a hug or feed them, but she also knew that Clark needed her at the moment and she did not want to leave his side until she knew that he could handle what was happening. She threw Kara a desperate look and, understanding, her cousin-in-law left the room to see to the twins. The room once again fell into silence and Lois could tell that Tess wanted to be with Alexander and James. "Honey, do you want to lie down, get some rest?" She suggested to her husband, but he shook his head. "No. I've gotta call Mum. I'll go and do that now." He walked over to Tess and gave her one-armed hug, which he knew his sister needed. He then briefly wrapped his arm around Lois's waist and their eyes met, before he walked away and went upstairs to call Martha.

After Clark called his mum and told her about his father, she spoke to Tess for a while, before asking to talk to Lois. Tess placed the phone to her sister-in-law and Lois sat in the living room with the phone, with Clark and the twins by her side, as she listened to Martha talking and crying about her relationship with Johnathan; he had been the love of her life, even though she had not been his. At the end of the call, Lois clutched the phone in her hands, looking at her husband and there were tears in both of their eyes. They each had one of the twins on their knee and they were holding them very close. Lois offered to make lunch for them, but Clark said that he would do it and he carried both of the twins into the kitchen with him. He wanted to be close to them at the moment, as he was their dad and it was his job to look after them, as his father had done for many years.

Lois decided to lay the table and she was about to begin doing thus, when there was a knock on the door and she saw that it was her cousin. She opened the door and pulled her into a hug, now that she was sure that Clark would not see her pain, as she did not want him to worry about her as well as everything else that was happening. They broke apart and Chloe led her cousin to the kitchen, where they sat down. "Lo, what brought this on?" She knew that she should be asking how Clark was, but she also saw how upset her cousin was by this and she did not want to ignore it.

"It's just-I have to be strong to support Clark and I haven't wrapped my head around this," Lois replied in a hushed voice so that her husband could not hear her, "I was so fond of Johnathan, despite what he did. He was a great grandfather, he loved the twins more than I can express and I just-they'll grow up with no memories of what a great man he was and that breaks my heart, you know? I know they have my dad, but it won't be the same."

Chloe rubbed her cousin's arms in order to comfort her and sighed. "Lo, I was very fond of Mr. Kent and from what I remember as a kid, he was a good, kind man. I'll miss him." She paused, then asked, "How's Clark doing?"

Sighing, Lois answered, "He's dealing with it in his own way. He'll bottle it up for ages until it explodes-I know him too well and I know he'll do that and that won't be helpful to any of us, but… I guess that's the way he copes, so I can't really fault him for that, can I?" She stood up and started to set the table, as she knew that that would not have occurred to Clark on a normal day, let alone after loosing his father.

"You know, if it would help, Jimmy and I could take care of the twins for a few days? Give you some time to get through to Clark?" Chloe suggested, trying to think of ways in which she could help in this situation. "It wouldn't be a problem, honestly, they're lovely babies." She added with a kind smile. Lois smiled back, showing that she did appreciate the offer. "Thanks, Chlo, but I think that Clark needs to be around them at the moment. I can understand why." Before she could say anything else, Tess walked into the room and, much to Chloe's surprise, she walked over to her and pulled her into a hug; the two women had never really spoken to each other, even though they had a great deal in common, but Chloe understood that Tess, like her brother, bottled up her emotions and that physical contact such as this was a release; she had already lost her biological father and now her dad. Clark was not the only one who was in pain and both Lois and Chloe realised that. Just as Tess finally released Chloe from her arms, Alexander and James rushed into the kitchen and ran over to their mum, followed by their father. Tess pulled her sons close to her as they cried for the loss of their grandfather and she held them, as she felt their pain. James was too young to really understand, but Alexander did and he was not handling it well. As Alexander released his mother from his grip, Tess's eyes fell on Lex, who was standing in the doorframe, watching her with an almost vacant expression.

Lois picked up James and Chloe led Alexander out of the room, so that Tess and Lex could talk. Tess threw them both a look, as they left, but she also knew that she did have to speak to the father of her children. Lex sighed and murmured, "I'm so sorry for you loss, Tess. Your father was a great man." His voice was both kind and sincere and he was the person with whom Tess had fallen in love. She smiled awkwardly and replied, "Thank-you, Lex. Are you going to go to the funeral? It's in Smallville."

Lex walked over to her and placed his hands on her arms in a comforting way and, much to his and Tess's surprise, she did not pull away. "Of course I'll be there-the boys will need me and so will you."

Flinching and pulling away from him, Tess looked him in the eye and responded in an icy voice, "I can take care of myself, Lex." She knew why she was so defensive, but that was how she coped and she knew no different. Both she and Clark had a similar way of coping with the death of a loved one, especially their father. Feeling awkward, she pushed her fringe behind her eyes and asked in a softer voice, "How are the boys doing?"

"They're fine, but I think they're too young to go to a funeral-James definitely. He's only 4."

"Since when did you care about your sons?" Tess snapped, before she could stop herself and she saw the hurt on Lex's face. She looked down at the floor, feeling guilty. "I mean, I think you're right. James is defiantly too young and we should ask Alexander what he wants to do. He's old enough to make that kind of decision, I think." She added in an uncertain tone; she was finding it hard to wrap her head around her father's death, let alone his funeral. Lex just nodded, then walked to the door. Once he was at the door, Tess suddenly said, "Lex." He turned around to look at her and their eyes met. Smiling a genuine smile, she whispered, "Thank-you for being here for me and the boys." Their eyes remained connected for a couple of seconds, before she looked down at the floor and walked away, leaving Lex feeling even more confused that he had been before talking to his estranged-wife.

Chloe was finally able to leave Lois without feeling guilty about doing so, as she wanted some time alone. She sat down at her desk and began to work, but her thoughts were interrupted when Oliver walked into her office. Smiling slightly, she said, "Thank-you for telling Jimmy about… Mr. Kent. I appreciate the thought, Ollie." She was trying to keep her voice steady, but she also knew that Oliver would see through this façade, as Jimmy had done earlier that morning. Oliver smiled back and pulled a chair up to sit next to her. "How are you, Chloe? Really?" He asked in an almost stern voice, so she knew that she had no choice but to be honest with him.

Sighing, she turned her eyes away from her laptop and looked at him instead. "Mr. Kent was a good man, besides having an affair. When I was a kid, after my mother.. got sick, he would sometimes look after me and my mother so that my dad could have a break and sometimes he and Martha took care of my mother so that Dad and I could have some time on your own." She smiled sadly at the memory. "No matter what his faults-of which there were many-that kind of kindness if hard to forget." She paused, then asked, "Are you going to go to the funeral?"

Oliver nodded and replied, "Yeah, I am. How are you-pregnancy-wise, I mean?" Chloe smiled at how much he cared for her and this unborn child, before replying, "We're both fine, thanks. I'm about 2 months along now and… it's starting to become more real. I'm glad that Jimmy is just as excited about this as I am. We both have name idea as well."

"Oh, yeah? Do tell!" Oliver was glad to be discussing something besides death and funerals and he could tell that Chloe was enjoying the diversion as much as he was.

"Well, if it's a girl it's either Emily or Grace and if it's a boy it's either Adam or Ben- but probably, Adam because having another Ben around would be really confusing! I think that Jimmy would really like a girl, a daughter, but I honestly don't mind… In a way, having another son would be easier, because then I won't be worried about screwing up my daughter like my mother did to me."

Biting his lip, Oliver moved his face so that Chloe was forced to look at him. "Chloe, you're an amazing person. Your dad did a brilliant job raising you and so did Lois's mum. Your mother did love you and-what she did- wasn't her fault, you know? And if you do have a daughter, you don't have that problem anyway."

There were now tears in her eyes and she shook her head sadly. "I know she didn't mean it and I know-wherever she is-she'll still love me, but what she did has scared me. I still feel bad for leaving them, but Dad didn't give me any choice."

"He was trying to protect you. He was trying to make sure that you had a childhood, instead of being scared of your own mother… and worrying about her. You have a good relationship with your dad now and, if you hadn't moved to Metropolis, you wouldn't have met Jimmy and you wouldn't have Nicky or this baby."

Chloe wiped away her tears, a smile forming on her face again. "Ollie, how is it that you always know what to say to make me feel better? You and Jimmy… are so alike in that way, you both always know what to say to make me feel better." She saw a look flash across Oliver's face at the comparison between himself and Jimmy, but he said nothing, so she decided not to probe.

Meanwhile, both Clark and Tess were trying to get hold of Conner. They knew that he was flying on from Smallville, but he had not told them at what time and it was really annoying Clark. Lois could see that he was becoming really stressed, so she suggested that he and Tess sit in the living room and talk, whilst she tried to find out where her brother-in-law was. As Clark had said, this was typical of Conner, but she also knew that he, like his brother and sister, was in pain over the death of his father and the fact that he was with their mum in Smallville maybe made it even harder, because he was comforting her as well.

An hour later, just after Lois put Jane and Ben to bed, there was a knock on the door and Lois saw that it was Conner. She opened the door and he kissed her on the check as sign of affection. He did look a great deal like Clark, with the same hair and build. His face shape was a little different, but one could tell that they were brothers. Clark and Tess heard the voice of their brother, so they left the sitting room to greet him. He and Tess hugged and he kissed her on a check, before turning his attention to his brother. "Clark. Thanks for having me here." He held out his hand and Clark shook it. Their eyes connected for a moment, then Conner looked away and he led him into the living room. A couple of minutes later, he walked into the kitchen, asking Lois to bring him, Tess and Conner some drinks and she nodded, understanding that he needed something to do whilst he was with Conner.

The three siblings sat together, with drinks in their hands and Lois went upstairs to read, as she did not want to be involved in the sibling-relations. They did not speak to anything of consequence until Lois offered Tess a lift home, as she was tired and she also wanted Clark and Conner to spend some time alone, to give them a chance to speak. They indeed did, but Conner remarked that Clark had been their father's favourite child. "That isn't true." Clark almost snapped back. "He loved all three of us, equally."

Conner shook his head and replied, "That isn't true, big bro, and you know it. He always loved you more than me and Tess and I've accepted that now." With that, he stood up and made his way to the guest bedroom, leaving Clark feeling very confused. Why could he and Conner not have a proper conversation without arguing or disagreeing over something? It was pathetic and he knew it. When he went up to bed, he wanted to speak to Lois, to ask for her advice about how he should 'handle' his brother, but he found her asleep in their bed, with a book in her hands and with her glasses still on. Smiling down at his wife, he carefully removed the book, placed it on the floor and then started to remove her glasses from her face. As he did so, he eyes opened and she asked, "Smallville.. is that you?"

With a smile on his face, Clark slipped the glasses over her face and placed them on the side, before whispering back, "Yes, it's me, honey. Go back to sleep, love you." He leaned forward and pressed a light kiss on her lips, which she returned, with a smile on her face. After changing, he lay in bed reading as he was unable to go to sleep, unable to comprehend the fact that his father-the man whom he had admired and loved so much-was dead, but he was glad that he had Tess and Conner, as he would have hated to have been an only child dealing with all of this.

The next morning, Lois was the first to wake up. She woke up the twins and took them down for their breakfast, so that they did not wake up either Clark or Conner. She began to feed their twins in their highchairs and turned on her phone, to check to see if her cousin had texted her. Instead, she saw a text from Conner, saying that he had gone out for a while and that he would be back that evening. Lois sighed and swore under her breath; he and Clark were supposed to go to collect Johnathan's body from the hospital today, is that why he'd gone now, to avoid responsibility? It would not have been the first time. Just as she was thinking about how to tell Clark, he entered the kitchen, looking confused. "Is Conner down here? He isn't in his bedroom?"

Lois clutched her mobile phone, then turned to face him. "He's gone." She held out the text. Her husband read it and his face became full of anger. "How can he leave now? He and I have to go and get the body! How can he do this to me-to Dad? It's a respect thing and he decides to just bog off!" He walked over to the door, then asked, "He didn't say where he was going?"

Lois sighed and said nothing, as she knew that nothing she said would help Clark to deal with his father's death or the fact that his relationship with his brother was strained. As he sat down and kissed the twins, she prepared their breakfast and sat down. "Did you speak to him last night? I mean, did he say anything, Smallville?"

Clark kissed Jane and Ben, then answered, "Yeah, he did speak to me. And he told me that Dad loved me more than he loved him and Tess."

"You told him it was rubbish, right?" Lois asked, in a careful voice, as she knew that it was hard for Clark to talk about his father so soon after his death.

"Yeah, I didn't believe me and a part of me wonders if he's right." When his wife threw him a confused look, he continued, "Dad always wanted to spend time with me over Conner, because I was the sporty one and I think he remembers and resents that-but today isn't about our less-than-brother-like relationship- it's about paying respect to Dad and I can't believe that he isn't here." He stood up. "I'll get changed and go to the hospital myself. I'll be fine, don't worry about me, Lois." He leaned across the table and kissed her on the temple, which she received with a smile, before walking out of the kitchen. Sighing, she finished her own breakfast and ensured that the twins had had enough before doing the dishes.

Later that day, Clark returned home and immediacy ran over to Lois, who opened her arms to him and held him for as long as he needed; he still had not cried over his father's death, but collecting his body had made it real and he wished that he had had the support of his brother. He went to spend time with the twins and Lois finished dinner. She had wanted Oliver or Lex to accompany her husband, but he had insisted that, if he were not doing it with his brother, he wanted to do it alone. She was glad that he had embraced her with a hug, as she had been worried that he would close himself off from everyone-her and the twins-but he was not being as bad as when he had first learnt of his father's illness, which was a great relief to her.

Just as they began to eat their dinner, there was knock on the front door and Lois saw that it was Conner; she saw the anger in Clark's face, but he quickly replaced it with a blank expression as she opened the door. "Conner, are you ok? You disappeared on us earlier?" he asked in a careful tone, avoiding looking at his brother.

Conner sat down at the table on the other side of his sister-in-law and she suddenly became aware that she was a physical buffer between the two brothers and their disagreements which had been bubbling under since childhood. After a long silence, the younger brother replied, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed some air." Clark was about to make a remark, but Lois kicked him under the table and looked at him, willing him to not do this now, as they were both hurting and they needed each other now, more than they ever had before.

There was a long silence, which was broken when Clark asked his brother how the Farm was. Lois internally sighed, knowing that this was a topic which could cause some tension between the brothers, as it always had done before. Conner swallowed his mouthful of food, before answering, in a tense voice, "It's fine, thanks. Mum and I are thinking of hiring some people to help out, you know, considering Dad…can't do it anymore." He looked down at the plate and did not attempt to look at his elder brother.

"Well, maybe I can have a look at it when we go there tomorrow." Clark remarked, smiling.

Conner looked up at him and snapped, "Don't do that, Clark. It's a bad idea."

Clark glanced at Lois slightly, then asked, "What do you mean? It's my family's farm too, just as much as it is yours."

Glaring at him, Conner retorted, "How is that? You left when you were 18 and never came back there! I was the one who helped Dad with it, who ran it when he was sick. Not you-you left to go to Yale and you didn't even come home after that-you moved to Metropolis. So, it isn't really your home, is it? Your home is here, so you have no right. It may be yours because of the Kent name, but you don't even have that anymore; you hyphenated your name, for goodness' sake! Are you that ashamed to be a Kent, because I'm not and I never will be!" Conner stood up and walked out of the kitchen, excusing himself to Lois. Clark stood up to follow him, but Lois grabbed hold of his hand and looked into his eyes. "Smallville, you have to see this from his point of view. This is hard for him too and he is your brother."

"The Kent Farm is just as much mine as it is his, no matter that I haven't lived there since I was 18!" Clark stared at Lois and asked, "Do you agree with him? Is that why you didn't say anything?"

Shaking her head, Lois stood up and cupped his face with her hands. "No, I don't agree. But I do think that you have a home here, with me and the twins, and Conner doesn't have that. It is his home, Smallville." She kissed him lightly on the lips, then sat back down. "Just think about it." Clark just nodded, but said nothing more on the matter. Conner was wrong about him being ashamed of being a Kent; upon their marriage, Lois had hyphenated, so he had done the same, it had never occurred to him that his family could have taken it as a personal affront against their family name. The farm had been in their family for generations, so he had no idea why Conner was being such an arce about it.

The next morning, Clark was the first to awake and he fed the twins so they were well-fed for their journey to Smallville; he and Lois were driving there, as were Chloe, Jimmy and Oliver, whereas Conner and Tess's family were going there by plane. Breakfast in the Lane-Kent household was a tedious affair, as neither Clark nor Conner said a word to the other and Lois was feeling incredibly awkward, sitting between the two of them.

That evening, Lois and Clark arrived in Smallville and they made their way to the Kent family farm. Chloe and Jimmy's car followed them; they and Oliver were there for dinner and then they were going to a hotel, as this was a time for family to be together. Tess and Lex had decided that both Alexander and James were too young to attend a funeral, so they had left the boys with Tess's mother whilst they were in Smallville. Clark stepped out of the car and Martha ran over to him, pulling him into a tight hug; she was not crying, but he could tell that she was close to it. "He loved you so much." She whispered in his ear, before letting go and turning her attention to Lois and the twins.

Clark carried his and Lois's cases up to his old bedroom. It seemed so much smaller now, but it was exactly as it had bene when he had he left for Yale. Overwhelmed by emotions, he sat down on his bed and closed his eyes. There were so many memories of his father in this house and he was not sure if he could handle there. Conner had been right about one thing: this place, the farm, Smallville, it was not his home anymore. As tears began to come into his eyes, he felt somebody sit down next to him and he knew that it was Lois. She wrapped her arms around him and held him as he shook with the raw emotion of being back here after the death of his beloved father. Inhaling a deep breath, he opened his eyes and turned to face his wife. "Conner was right about one thing."

With a sad smile, she asked, "And what was that, Smallville?" She employed her nickname for him in order to comfort him and nobody else called him that, so it would not remind him of his father. Clark wiped away a tear which had fallen down her check, before replying, in a soft voice, "This place-Smallville, the farm-it isn't my home anymore. I left and never came back. You're my home, Lois. You, Jane and Ben-the three of you are my home." He gave her a sad smile, before she pulled him into a hug and they rested their heads together, listening to the sound of the other breathing.

Their intimate moment was interrupted by Chloe and Jimmy, who were standing at the door together, with Nicolas in their arms. Clark did not notice, but Lois did and she sent her cousin a small smile, before returning her attention back to her grieving husband. He had been fine until they had returned to his childhood home and that had obviously triggered memories and had made their grief more potent.

Chloe kissed Jimmy on the check, passed Nicolas to her husband and went downstairs to see if Martha wanted any help, or someone to whom she could speak, but Martha insisted that she was fine and Chloe guessed she was afraid that if she opened up and talked about Johnathan's death, she may not be able to stop. So, instead Chloe made her way outside and she saw Oliver leaning against a fence, staring out at the fields of corn and cows. As she joined him, he remarked in a cheerful voice, "This is a well-kept farm. Lots of work has gone into it over the years, you can tell." He looked down at his shoes, then asked, in a gentler tone, "How's Clark holding up?"

Sighing, Chloe replied, "I think coming back here, to his childhood home, has made it harder. He was in his old room and crying, with Lois holding him. I can't even imagine how hard this is for him."

Oliver gave a small smile. "Well, he's lucky he has Lois and the twins. But this is hard for Lois, too, and you." He added, turning his head to face her. "You were very fond of Mr. Kent, weren't you?" It was not a question, as he already knew the answer, but she nodded and fell into a hug in his arms. From the window, Martha was watching them and she smiled sadly to herself. She believed that Chloe and Oliver belonged together, just as her late ex-husband had.

As evening began to fall, Tess, Lex and Conner arrived, with all of their luggage and bags. Tess and Conner took their bags into their old bedrooms, but Lex kept hold of his, as he was not going to stay there, as he did not feel part of the family anymore. Martha insisted that he must stay, as he was one of Clark's best friend as well as the father of her grandsons, so she offered him the guest room. Glancing at his estranged wife, he received silent confirmation and accepted the invitation before Martha began to prepare for dinner.

Dinner was finally ready and Martha called in her guests. Jane and Ben were in highchairs between their parents and beside Clark was Martha. On the other side of her was Tess, then Chloe and Jimmy were next to her, with Nicky on Chloe's knee. On the other side of Chloe was Oliver and Conner was in-between him and Lex. "This is one of my favourite dishes," Martha announced proudly as they began to eat, "I've been making it for years and never before have I made it for 8 people!" She was trying to keep the mood light, as she could almost see the tension between her two sons and she wanted to avoid them arguing the eve before their father's funeral. Dinner went smoothly, but at the arrival of the pudding, Conner stood up and walked over to the fridge, as he said, "I want to speak at the funeral. I want to speak at Dad's funeral."

Clark glanced at Lois, as he turned to face his brother and asked, "Have you spoken to Nell about this?"

"No, why should I ask her?"

Looking at his brother with stern eyes, Clark replied, "Because she was his wife, his widow. Besides, she asked me to speak at the funeral and I accepted. She asked Tess, but she declined." Clark fell silent and Martha began to speak to Lois and Chloe, but she interrupted when Conner snapped, "What the heck are you gonna say, Clark-at the funeral?"

Clark sighed and replied, "I'll say that he was a great man and a great father and that he will be sorely missed by both his family and the Smallville community."

Conner glared at his brother and glared. "How would you know? Hmm-you left Smallville! How do you know how much he meant to the people here, when you left us!"

Before Clark could reply, Tess stood up and stood between the two of them and looking at them both imploringly, "Please, don't do this! We need one another right now, so don't implode now! Dad wouldn't have wanted it!" Conner nodded his head, before grabbing his coat and walking out of the house, slamming the door behind them. Uncomfortable of the tension, Jimmy remarked, "Well, we'd better get going. Er-Clark, could you give us a lift to the hotel, because we don't know where it is?" Happy to leave the house, Clark nodded in agreement and kissed his mum, sister and wife before leaving the kitchen to get his jacket. Chloe hugged her cousin and thanked Martha for the dinner, before following her husband and best friend out of the door to their car.

As soon as the door was closed and the car pulled away, Martha let out a sigh. "Conner misses his father. Clark and Tess do too, but they weren't still at home when- I found about Johnathan and Nell and I think that makes a big difference. You see, Conner isn't married, he doesn't have kids, still living in his childhood home and he-he's never really grown up and now Johnathan's gone… it's even harder for him than it is for Tess and Clark. They don't understand that and I wouldn't expect them to, to be honest, but that makes it harder in a way. All three of them are hurting and Clark and Conner still can't see eye to eye, on anything, even their father."

Before returning to the Kent family farm, Clark made his way to Savings and Loans and made a shocking discovery: the farm, under the management of Conner, had fallen into serious debt and there was nothing which the bank could do to help, as much as they wished they could. Clark began to wonder why his mother did not get a job to help, but he knew that Conner would not have told her or his father that their farm was in financial trouble, as he would not have wanted to worry them, especially after their father had been hospitalised.

When he finally returned at the Kent farm, he went up to his room, where Lois was sitting on her laptop, waiting for him to return. He kissed her on the head, then sat down and produced the evidence of the debt from his back pocket and handed it to Lois. She read it, then asked if he had spoken to his brother about this. In response, Clark asked, "Why didn't he just tell me-I could've tried to help. Did Dad know? I'm guessing he didn't." He sighed and threw his head back against the wall. "The farm's over. All of the generations who have worked on this farm-it's all over. It's over, it's too late."

Lois rested her head against his and whispered, "He's your brother, Smallville. It can never be too late, trust me. I made amends with Lucy, so you try to do the same thing with Conner. You only get one brother." There was a silence, then Clark stood up and went downstairs with the paper in his hands. He sat in the kitchen and waited for his brother to return. Finally, he did so and he looked very tired. "Conner, we need to talk."

Shaking his head, Conner shook his head, but he saw the look in his brother's eyes and agreed. His eyes fell on the paper in his brother's hands and he asked, "Where did you get that from?"

"The bank gave them to me. Why didn't you tell me about this? I could have helped." He paused, then asked, "Did Dad know?"

Conner glared at him, looking very angry. "I was doing the best I could in the circumstances. I was trying to keep the farm going, for Dad-but what would you understand about that?"

Clark sighed and snapped, "He was my father, too, Conner."

"Really? How often did you speak to him? I was here all the time-I lived here and yet, whenever there was a problem, he wanted to call you rather than listen to what I had to say! I loved him and yet you were still the first person he called. And why-I have no idea!"

Standing up, Clark walked over to his younger brother and sighed. "He wasn't a perfect father, Conner. You know that as well as I do! He cheated on Mum, he walked out on us-on what we had as a family and you can't deny that! You have to face that!" Conner made a move to hit him, but Tess ran between them, telling them to stop. Both men began to cry and Clark whispered, "He was my dad, too, Conner." There were tears running down his brother's face and the room was deadly silent. Conner was the first to move and he went up to his bedroom. Clark looked down at the floor to hide his tears, but Lois had seen them; she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. He looked up and gave her a small smile, before following her out of the kitchen. Tess put her arms around Martha and held her as she cried about her sons not having the relationship which she and Johnathan had always wanted them to have.

The next morning, Clark was the second person in the house to wake up and he dressed himself in formal attire for his father's funeral. He made his way to the kitchen, where he found his mum sitting at the table, drinking a cup of coffee. As he walked in, she asked, "How did you and Lois sleep?"

"Not very well. How about you? Can I have some coffee?" he kissed his mum on the head, before turning to the kettle and pouring himself a cup of coffee, bracing himself for the talk which he knew was about to come, from his mum. He sat down and waited. Martha sighed and remarked, "Clark, you do understand how hard all of this is for Conner, don't you?"

Resisting the urge his eyes, Clark sighed, "It's hard for me, too, Mum. He was my dad as much as he was Conner's."

Martha nodded her head. "I know, darling. I know and that will always be the case. But you have Lois and the twins and you-you haven't lived here since you were 18, you moved out and never came home again. Conner's never left, he went to KSU, stayed at home, then he dropped out and because of that… he hasn't grown into the kind of man you have and you don't give him enough support and you never have. I'm saying this because I love you, Clark."

Staring at his mum, he mumbled, "Mum, I've always be there for Conner, helped him. When he dropped out of school, I gave him a place to stay when he didn't want to be with you and Dad. I lent him some money. When he wanted to go to an agricultural school, I helped him with all of that."

"Yes, in that way you have been there for him-but not in an emotional way. Sweetheart, you closed a door on your brother in that way when you were 11 and you've never opened it for him again. You grew apart and, as far as he's concerned, when you left to go to Yale, you left him and the two of you must have known that there was something wrong with your father and I. You have the life he wants, Clark: a wife, kids-a family- and he wants his big brother to help him. He respects and loves you, Clark. No matter what your differences are, you're always going to be his big brother and he will always want to emulate you in some way-that won't change with age, as most things do. I know Lois has probably told you this, but you only have one brother. One brother and one sister. Value them both and… open the door for your brother again." With that, she stood up and walked over to the cooker, leaving Clark thinking about all she had said. His thoughts were interrupted when Lois entered, with the twins in her arms. Clark stood up and took Ben from her arms, holding his son close to him. With a smile on his face, he kissed his daughter and then he and Lois shared a brief kiss, smiling at each other. "You look beautiful." He whispered in her ear and she smiled, before passing Jane to him and helping Martha in the kitchen.

The funeral itself was a short one and a celebration of Johnathan's life rather than of his death, as he would have wished it to be. That made it easier for his family and friends who were in attendance. Clark was standing with Lois with Jane and Ben in their arms. Next to them were Martha, Tess, Conner and Lex. Nell was standing apart with Lana, with tears in her eyes, with her hand clutched around her wedding ring. Clark pulled Lois close and she rested her head on his shoulder, with Jane in her arms and Clark held Ben close to his chest. Chloe and Jimmy were on the other side of Lois, with Nicolas in Jimmy's arms and Oliver was on the other side of them, standing with his hands behind his back in a respectful manner.

After the funeral, a wake was held at the Kent family farm. Conner immediately disappeared to his bedroom and Clark followed him, wanting to speak to him before he and Lois went back to Metropolis. He found him sitting on the floor of his bedroom, which the two of them had shared when they had been very young. Clark picked up his old cricket bat and observed, "I may take this home for Ben-make a man out of him." When he received no response, he sat down on his old bed and began, "Conner, did I ever tell you about when Mum told me about Dad and Nell? She came to our house and told me and I sitting there, thinking that I had lost my family and I would never be able to piece it together again."

Conner looked up. "You never told me that. Did you speak to the bank today?"

"Yeah, and he said that the farm's finished. You and Mum can still live here, but without the farm." He paused, then added, "He also told me that you tried you very hardest with the farm and to keep Dad's spirits up…so you probably kept Dad alive, even after we found out he was having an affair, so thankyou, Conner."

There was a long silence, then Conner asked, "When are you going home, back to Metropolis?"

Smiling slightly, Clark replied, "Lois and the twins are going back tomorrow, but I thought I might stay a couple days longer-keep you in line." He quipped, but his smile fell as he saw the sadness in his brother's eyes as he shook his head and said, "No, you should go home. I've coped without you for years now."

Clark slipped off the bed and sat next to his brother, looking into his eyes. "Buddy, I want to be here for you. I do." There was silence, then he said, "Now, Tess and I have had a discussion and we've agreed to loan you money so that you can go back to college, do a degree in Agriculture, or something-something you love."

Staring at him in shock, Conner asked, "Why would you do that for me?"

"Because you're my brother, the only brother I have and it's my job to look after you. We're family." At the moment, Conner pulled his brother into a tight hug and whispered that he already missed their father. Clark held him close and nodded, as tears ran down both of their faces. The two brothers had finally put aside their differences and were a united front, more so than they had been in years.


End file.
